I want a top spot, says Button

Jenson Button wants to round off his best-ever Formula One season with a maiden grand prix win next month.

The 24-year-old has enjoyed a meteoric rise up the Formula One grid this year, following up his first podium finish with eight more on his way to third in the world championship.

A maiden pole position also came early in the year at Imola, form that has persuaded Williams to sign him up for 2005.

BAR are still trying to hang on to their star driver but Button would love nothing more than to sign off at Brackley with the team’s first victory.

He has just two races in which to do that, in Japan and Brazil, but believes that milestone is within reach.

“I have had four second places this season,” he said after equalling his career-best result in the Chinese Grand Prix yesterday.

“I wouldn’t say I am getting fed up with finishing second or third but I’m pushing very very hard for that win, as every driver is.

“We’ve been close on a few occasions but I think it has shown in this race that we are not quite there yet. I think the Ferrari does have the legs on us so we’ve got a bit of work to do.”

Button’s stunning form this year has put BAR within touching distance of second place in the constructors’ championship, easily beating their current best result of fifth.

The Englishman expects to take runners-up spot behind champions Ferrari after helping BAR stretch their advantage over Renault to nine points.

Team-mate Takuma Sato finished a strong sixth despite starting from 19th spot on the grid after a penalty for an engine change earlier in the weekend.

Renault only scored points through Fernando Alonso’s fourth place and Button said: “I’m reasonably confident we can keep second place in the constructors’ championship.

“We picked up some pretty good points here, 11 points. We pulled out a good gap so I am pretty happy about that and I think the team is. We’ve just got to stay consistent, focused and also relaxed and not get too excited.”

BAR boss David Richards refuses to be overly confident of second place in the constructors’ championship and was instead celebrating securing a brace of third places.

Neither his team nor Button can finish below third in their respective championship and Richards was keen to highlight that achievement.

“We are assured of third place in both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships and that is a good reason to celebrate.”

Richards was especially impressed with Sato’s drive, having handed the Japanese racer a contract for 2005 recently.

He added: “Naturally I was pleased to see yet another second place for Jenson but I am particularly delighted with sixth for Taku from the back of the grid. That was perhaps his best drive to date.”