Barrichello not giving up on title hopes

The Brazilian has been beaten in every race so far this year by Button but, well aware that bad luck and circumstance has cost him possible victories, he is bullish about his chances of turning the situation around.

And, having only slipped 16 points adrift of Button, Barrichello believes that a slight change in fortunes could transform his campaign.

When asked by AUTOSPORT if he was frustrated about having missed out on a win so far, Barrichello said: "Yes, there is a little disappointment from those things.

"I should have won a race by now but, after so many years, the shoulds and the ifs don't exist any more. It's down to what you wake up in the morning and dream of.

"I dream of being champion. People might say he's crazy because his team mate won five races already but I'm lucky that the championship is not decided by the wins, because otherwise I would definitely say he had won the championship already.

"It's a healthy fight and I expect Rubens to get better all the time. That's the way he has been. The first four races, the balance of the car favoured Jenson a bit and then, with the new package, I think I've come back a bit. The slightly odd decision in Barcelona cost me the first place in pole position and then the problem that we know in the pitstops.

"In Monaco I dominated the whole time and Jenson put a lap that was just phenomenal, just unbeatable. My lap was really good and I was within a tenth of him. He won the race there by qualifying in front of me.

"But there are still plenty of races, 11 to go. Four months ago I was dreaming at home that I could have a car, and now I do. Now I am dreaming of becoming world champion. I think it's affordable to think like that. I just have to put it into practical ways."

Although Barrichello admits that psychologically he needs to upstage Button soon, he is encouraged by the fact that even though things have not gone his way so far this year, he is not too far away from his team mate in the title standings.

"The thing that makes me enthusiastic about it is that Jenson, if you take five wins and all that hype and momentum going, I'm still only 16 points behind him. So that's for me the most important thing that can be turned around.

"Words can mean a lot of things, and it could go to Brazil like that - they always want to put it out as Rubens promises to be champion and it's not like that. I haven't got words but I have a feeling and I have my mental status doing very well. And I'm working very well with Jenson, because he's doing superbly well.

"I cannot stop saying it, but he has never been far away in other times and he's not far away right now. It's just that he has won five races and I have not, so I am waiting to win my next five."