Button writes off 2013 title

Jun.11 (GMM) Hot on the heels of his downbeat assessment of McLaren's performance in Canada, Jenson Button has now written off the 2013 title.

The great British team's lead driver said after failing to score points in Montreal that, seven races into the troubled development of the MP4-28, the gap to the front of the field remains "massive".

Button has now told British newspapers: "We're so far behind, we're never going to win the championship this year."

Indeed, with 12 races to go in 2013, Button is already more than 100 points behind in the drivers' standings.

The obvious temptation for a heavily-resourced team like McLaren would be to now switch all of its focus towards the radical new regulations and an all-new, V6-powered car for 2014.

But Button suggested the Woking based team is determined to improve in 2013.

"We can still win grands prix," he said, even though he ruled out a podium for his home British grand prix, next time out at Silverstone later this month.

As for how long the slump will last, the 33-year-old admitted: "No one knows the answer to that. It's pointless for me to try and answer."