Button vows to keep pushing for drivers’ title

Jenson Button has vowed to push ahead with his charge for the 2010 world championship, despite his teammate Lewis Hamilton’s call for support.

Hamilton said this week that it "would be fantastic" to have the full weight of McLaren’s backing for the last two races of the season, after Button fell 21 points behind him in the drivers’ standings in Korea.

British countryman said initially after Korea that he was no longer a serious contender for the title, but quickly changed his mind to insist that he will keep pushing until "mathematically" he can no longer win.

At the same time, boss Martin Whitmarsh admitted that adopting a team strategy for the last races of 2010 will be discussed "before we get to Brazil".

Button has now declared: "It (the championship) is a long shot but I’d regret it for the rest of my life if I chose not to go for it."

"In formula one you ... learn early on that it’s not over until it’s over," he added.

However, championship leader Fernando Alonso admitted he is close to writing off the threat posed now by 30-year-old Button.

"The fact is that are no less than four drivers ahead of him and it’s hard to imagine none of them scoring points," said the Spaniard.