McLaren driver Jenson Button believes that he is closer than ever to being able to challenge for the world championship in 2012 with the Woking team, despite the significant gap to Red Bull throughout the 2011 season.
Button finished second in the 2011 standings, well behind champion Sebastian Vettel, in his second season with McLaren.
He won three races throughout the season, but he and the team struggled to challenge Red Bull on a consistent basis.
He did, though, manage to assert himself in the McLaren squad ahead of team mate Lewis Hamilton, who only finished fifth in the standings.
And Button believes that 2012 will be different, and after signing a new long-term deal with the team earlier this year, the 2009 champion is sure that he is close to another title challenge.
"We haven't quite won the world championship in the last two years, but I have won quite a few races with this team and I feel that our time is coming," he was quoted as saying by Autosport on Thursday.
"We are in a very good position. And it couldn't be better really so we are very excited about 2012."
He added: "My aim was to arrive at McLaren and win races, and be with a team that can always give me a chance of winning the world championship.
"I feel that we have really improved and I feel that with a tiny bit more improvement we can fight for more victories in 2012."
He added that his favourite moment from 2011 was his win in Japan, a race that was Button's first GP win in a dry weather race since 2009.
"To have won that grand prix on a circuit that I love; such a high speed circuit, a circuit that should suit Red Bull, in front of the Japanese fans after all they had been through this year, it was a very special victory," he grinned.
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