By Andrew Benson

Button says he is in a "happy place" as he waits for Honda's upturn in form

If there was an award for the most patient driver in Formula One, then Jenson Button would surely win it.

It is five-and-a-half years since the Englishman joined what is now the Honda team, and their ambition of battling McLaren and Ferrari at the front looks just about as far away as ever.

The mantle of young coming-man long gone from a 28-year-old who has competed in 143 Grands Prix, all Button has to show for his time at the team is a single victory, one he has next to no chance of repeating at the British Grand Prix this weekend.

Even that win, in Hungary in 2006, owed a lot more to Button's exquisite wet-weather driving skills than it did to the quality of his car.

That was Honda's best season in modern F1 - they were regularly the third best team behind title contenders Ferrari and Renault.

But they have fallen a long way since then. An awful 2007 was the nadir, but this year, despite the team's hopes of returning to where they were in 2006, is turning out little better.

Yet Button - who some regard as every bit as fast on his day as the established top three of Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen - gives the impression of a man at peace with the world.

"Last year was a tough year, and this year has just been frustrating more than anything else," Button says.

The team are very impressed with Jenson over the last few years and we need to give him a car in which he can show his real talents Ross Brawn Honda team boss

Button has had his doubts about the team in the past.

He did his reputation no good at all when he failed in an attempt to move to Williams while contracted to Honda's forerunner BAR in 2004, and harmed his image even further when he subsequently had to buy himself out of a commitment to join Williams for 2006.

But that feels like a long time ago, and Button appears to be happy to stay at Honda for the foreseeable future.

To an outsider, this might look like a lack of ambition, but for Button it is anything but. He expects great things of Honda, and he wants to ensure he reaps the benefits when they arrive.

In the past, that might have looked like a pipe dream, but Button is not the only one who expects Honda's fortunes to turn around.

The reason for that is an imposing, owlish 57-year-old Englishman by the name of Ross Brawn.

Shattered dreams: Honda expected better of their 2008 car

Brawn's reputation could hardly be higher in F1, where most believe that if anyone can sort Honda out, it is him.

And he believes Button is more than capable of going with them.

"The team are very impressed with Jenson over the last few years," Brawn says, "particularly with his commitment and tenacity through some very difficult circumstances, and we need to give him a car [in which] he can show his real talents.

"We haven't given him a car that's worthy of his ability for a couple of years now. If we can provide him with the car, he can win races for us."

But F1 is a hard-nosed business, and it is clear Button's loyalty will not earn him an easy ride if Honda can raise their game.

The seriousness with which both Honda and F1 in general are taking their chances of doing just that can be gauged by the recent rumours that the team are chasing Alonso's signature for 2009.

It's a very important year for strengthening and improving the team Ross Brawn

"We're obviously flattered when we're associated with a driver of his ability and longstanding - a double world champion, exceptionally quick," he says.

"But I think we've got to get ourselves sorted out as a team first before we start aspiring to drivers of that sort.

"We've got two very good drivers [Button is partnered by former Ferrari star Rubens Barrichello], either of them have shown themselves capable of winning races. Let's wait and see what happens this year."

For now, Brawn says, his focus is on ensuring the team are in a position to make the most of the significant rule changes being introduced for 2009, which he sees as Honda's opportunity to make up lost ground.

There will be major changes to the cars' aerodynamics, aimed at making overtaking easier, as well as the introduction of energy recovery systems in an attempt to give F1 a more environmentally-friendly image.

Traditionally, rule changes favour the established front-running teams, but Brawn believes Honda can buck the trend.

Button (right) believes Honda will become a force with Brawn in charge

"The team has fallen behind technically over the last year or two and the thing is to reverse that trend.

"The new regulations do give us that opportunity. One advantage we have is we're not fighting for a championship, and when you are, you have to put a lot of resources into fighting for that championship.

"So the top two or three teams for sure are going to have to balance their efforts for this year and next year perhaps more than we will."

To that end, Honda's focus is already very much on 2009.

Brawn, speaking at the launch of the Let's Go Karting campaign, denies reports that the team have already abandoned this year, insisting that they are still working to improve the lacklustre 2008 car, and want to be in a position to at least be scoring points in every race.

But he but does admit that when there are "50-50 decisions" to make between improving this year's car or next year's "it will go to 2009".

606: DEBATE Tell us what you think

"We've got some new things to try and some new developments coming over the next few races, but it's more about building the team and the structure for the future, creating the systems and the philosophies that we need to succeed in the future.

"That's my main priority, to help strengthen the group and create a group that's capable of designing and racing a race-winning car."

When the first fruit of Brawn's labours rolls out for the first time early next year, Button will find out whether his long wait has been worth it.

Additional reporting by Matt Slater