Jenson Button believes it’s all still to play for in 2012 and therefore, whilst he’s still in with a chance of winning the title, he won’t help out his team-mate.
The McLaren driver currently holds seventh in the championship some 41 points behind Hamilton, who sits in a far better position to challenge Fernando Alonso, a further 47 points ahead.
Button however says it’s still too early to start thinking about falling into a ‘number two’ role, something he is adamant McLaren will not demand of him.
“If I am leading a race, then I want to win that race,” he told the Daily Telegraph. “That’s what drivers do.
“We don’t have a number one and a number two driver here [at McLaren],” he insisted.
When the time does come that it’s mathematically impossible for the 32-year-old to win, then he will do all he can to help his team-mate.
“I will not be asked to do anything but if there comes a time in this Championship when I can’t win, then I will obviously help my team-mate.
“But there is a long way to go and a long time before I feel I am in that position.”
Despite the 88 point gap to Ferrari’s Alonso, Button believes such a gap can be closed surprisingly quickly, though he admits some bad luck must befall Alonso.
“I want to enjoy the races and fight for big points. I’m still a chunk behind the second pack, but you can close that gap up pretty easily,” he added.
“He [Alonso] needs a retirement really, but everyone will be taking points off each other. There are so many people at the front fighting for victories.”
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