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Button Rules Out Silverstone Win

Jenson Button, with BAR's first points of the year secured at last, is aiming for a podium finish at the British Grand Prix on Sunday and has ruled out the possibility of winning at his home race

A long-awaited first victory for the 25-year-old and his Honda-powered Formula One team still appears to be out of the question, and the Briton said: "I have no chance of winning. It won't happen, we are not capable of doing that.

"I'm not going to talk us up because everyone will just be let down," he said in Magny Cours, where he finished the fourth in the French Grand Prix. "I think third place is up for grabs. Our consistency is much better than when we were there testing (at Silverstone).

"Third is possible but I just want a good race, I just want to be fighting near the front."

Fellow-Briton David Coulthard has been having a better season with Red Bull but Button said the Scot's old team, McLaren, were the ones to watch out for.

"The McLarens are just too quick. In testing they have destroyed everything," he said. "I think the McLaren will be the quickest car by far and then it's going to be a fight for third position."

Renault, with Spain's Championship leader Fernando Alonso winning in Magny-Cours for his fifth victory in 10 races, have said they expect a far harder time.

Alonso, who leads McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen by 24 points, said on Sunday that they had put a cross against Silverstone at the start of the season as one of the races where they would be less competitive.

Loyal Support

While McLaren and Renault have dominated the season so far, BAR have been struggling, with the team suspended for two races and Button disqualified from third place at Imola after they fell foul of the weight and fuel regulations.

Button hopes the fans at Silverstone would still get behind him. "I have always enjoyed driving around Silverstone, it's a nice flowing circuit," he said.

"There are a lot of British fans there so I feel very at home. It's an amazing feeling, it really is, to look around and see so many BAR hats and flags and stuff, it's nice to know you have so much support. I'm just hoping it will be the same this year.

"Hopefully they will stick by me because they know that BAR is a good team and a fun team as well which is different from most teams in Formula One.

"We can achieve this year, we have had a very tough season but I'm sure the fans have stayed loyal and it will be a very special weekend."

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