Jenson Button hopes for miracle as title drifts away

Button's initial mood at the end of the race matched the darkness under which the inaugural event ended as rain had earlier wreaked havoc, causing a delay and four safety car periods during the race.

If Button went into the race with slim hopes of retaining his crown, then he emerged from it with virtually no chance after finishing a bitterly disappointing 12th.

In the immediate aftermath, when asked as to his chances of holding on to his title as he now trails race winner Fernando Alonso by 42 points with only 50 to play for, Button appeared resigned to his fate.

"It's pretty much gone," he said. "Mark Webber didn't score which means I'm still mathematically in the championship. But there are so many guys in front on more points that it makes it almost impossible. To lose the championship this way is pretty tough because it was a terrible day."

Yet an hour later after a period of contemplation and being faced with the question as to whether he would support team-mate Lewis Hamilton, who is 21 points behind Alonso, the response was a touch more steely.

"Never say never," insisted Button. "Until I can't win it I will fight, right to the end.

"In 2007, if Kimi (Raikkonen] had sat back and walked away thinking he was not going to be world champion (down by 17 points with two races remaining], then he wouldn't have been world champion.

"The way to look at it is whether I can still win the championship, and as a world champion and someone who wants to fight for a world championship, you don't give up until you can't win it."

As for Hamilton, he at least has a more genuine shot, although as he admits McLaren do not have the fastest car.

Despite that, he said: "We've two races ahead of us, we have more coming for the car and the guys at the factory are doing a great job.

"Everyone is really enthusiastic and is pushing as hard as they can.

"The championship definitely isn't out of reach - we can still do this."