Button plays down 'man v machine' debate

It is the age-old discussion that all-too-often surfaces in F1, arguably never more so than now given Button's dominant start after years of strife.

Ahead of this weekend's British Grand Prix, the question being asked by the fans is: how much is it the car, and how much the driver? And Button replied: "It's a tough one because there are always going to be these questions. When you are in a football team you don't say how much was the goalkeeper worth, how much was the defender, the striker. It's a team effort, and that's what Formula One is."

Six wins from the opening seven grands prix have catapulted the 29-year-old into a 26-point lead in the drivers' championship, a gap former British hero Nigel Mansell feels is unassailable.

Mansell has described Button's Brawn GP car as "straight-out-of-the-box magical," in stark contrast to his Honda of the past two years that appropriately caught fire in what proved to be its final race in Brazil last October.

However, the 1992 world champion also maintains Button is driving better than he has at any other time in his nine-year F1 career.

"I'm the guy driving the car, but there are 400-odd people building it and putting it together, and we work together," added Button.

"I give my feedback and I help produce a competitive car. If the car is not quick, then some of it is my fault.

"So it's the whole package, and when you've been with a car and a team for so long, you feel part of that team. You don't point at individuals.

"It's the same with the driver, who is important to the car, as every single person is in the team, so I wouldn't win if I was in last year's car this year. It would be impossible. It's about putting the time in, making sure you are doing the best job in the car, engineering wise putting the effort in, making sure the right people are within that team, which we did in getting Ross (Brawn) on board, and then delivering on the circuit."