Jenson Button has given his Honda Formula One team a full vote
of confidence after warning last year that he might leave if the
team showed no signs of improvement.
"I think we have the facilities here to be a front-running team.
I think we have the personnel now and it's just a matter of time,"
the Briton told reporters at the launch of the new RA108 car on
Tuesday.
"I am the happiest I have probably been in this team ... I
couldn't be happier," he said.
"It was never an option to not be here. I knew that Honda
wouldn't just sit around in the position we were in last season. I
knew that something would change."
Button scored all of Honda's meager haul of six points in a
dismal 2007 championship, after winning the Hungarian Grand Prix in
2006, and the Japanese team has undergone a major restructuring
since then.
Former Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn has joined as team
boss, leading a list of other high-profile signings, and Honda has
set its sights on getting back among the race winners in 2009.
The new car starts that process, presented by the team as a
complete break from what went before.
Strong team
"I personally believe that we have a very strong team and that
every individual really believes in themselves and the people they
are working with," said Button.
"I feel the team is at the strongest it has been,
personnel-wise.
"This year is obviously important and we want to do the best job
we can and get the most points we can - you can't rule out 2008 but
there is a lot changing in 2009," added Button.
"When I get the car, I want to be ready to be challenging for
the world championship and that could be in 2009. If not, then it
could be the following year.
"You are going to write Jenson is fighting for the world
championship in 2009 with Lewis Hamilton," added the 28-year-old,
whose compatriot won four races for McLaren in an astonishing debut
season in 2007.
"I hope so. That has got to be the aim.
"It's 14 months down the line and you would hope to be in a
position to be challenging at the front, definitely. But there's a
long way before that. It's no use thinking that far in
advance."
Button said he was looking forward to the season "massively
more" than in 2007 but ruled out any quick return to the top of the
podium.
"If you look at where we were last year, if we win a race we
deserve a very, very big trophy this season," he said.
"I'll only be disappointed if we are not improving from the
first race to the end."
(Agencies via China Daily January 31, 2008)