Analysis: Button needs to make a point

Only once before in his Formula One career - with Benetton in 2001 when he failed to score a point in the first 11 races - has the 27-year-old raced in front of his compatriots in such demoralising circumstances.

Since he finished third in Brazil in the final race of 2006, Button has found himself out in the wilderness. His best finish since Interlagos in October has been 11th and his highest starting position 10th.

"No, it's not going to be nice turning up at Silverstone without a point, but that's where we are," he told Reuters at Magny-Cours.

"It's not nice turning up here without a point either, it doesn't matter where you are."

Button's nightmare contrasts to 2006, when he celebrated the first victory of his Formula One career in Hungary last August - a win achieved at the 113th attempt.

He knows he has no chance of repeating that this year, with McLaren and Ferrari winning every race so far in a two-team title battle.

Magny-Cours was supposed to be the start of something better, with Honda introducing new mechanical parts and an aerodynamic upgrade for the RA107 car after testing them in Jerez last week.

"We expect a small improvement in both qualifying and the race," said Honda's senior technical director Shuhei Nakamoto in a team preview of the race.

Friday failed to reflect that, with Button 14th quickest in the first session and 15th in the second while teammate Rubens Barrichello was 13th and 18th.

In 2005, Button arrived at Magny-Cours without a point to his name in that season after being stripped of third place at Imola, his team suspended for two races and then failing to start at Indianapolis.

He finished fourth, raising his spirits for the next race at Silverstone. Fourth would seem out of the question on Sunday, but just one point would do.