Button Relying on Dry Race

With rain predicted for tomorrow's Belgian Grand Prix, some teams opted to compromise their qualifying pace in order to have a better chance in the rain tomorrow.

Button, however, said his team are hoping Sunday stays dry.

"We are a long way off of the front guys but it is difficult to tell here what people are doing with their strategy," said Button," ninth fastest today. ""It wasn't a great lap, the car didn't feel like it had a lot of grip and I had to be a bit cautious because in the morning session I was locking up the front.

"I was probably a little bit too cautious but it's better that way. I don't think you can plan everything on it being wet. I'm sure some people have run today thinking it's going to rain tomorrow but we haven't thought like that. We are expecting to be well into the points."

The Briton is confident his race pace will be stronger than several cars in front of him.

"The Toyotas seem to be very quick in qualifying but it will be interesting to see how quick they are in the race," he said. "I think we will be challenging them in the race - people might be surprised by that but I think we will. I think Toyota think it will rain tomorrow, but I think we can challenge them.

"There's a Sauber in front of us that shouldn't be a problem and then there's Michael. I think it will be an interesting race.

"I am hoping for a dry race and I think all the drivers will be. It's always very difficult in qualifying here especially because it could rain tomorrow. I'm sure people have set their car up because they think it will rain tomorrow.

"It's difficult to know what people are doing. Even so, starting eighth is not fantastic but we have a better race car here than a qualifying car and we will be challenging the cars in front more so than in Monza by far."