Formula One oldie Jenson Button steadfastly refuses to write off his grand prix dreams despite a barren spell of podium places and a spluttering, nightmare start by returning mega-wealthy engine giants Honda.

The former champion, 35, currently stranded in a problematic experimental car that showed no real pace or promise in pre-season testing, struggled to 11th place — the last contestant to the chequered flag — in the Australian opener, which left him admitting: “It is going to take a little bit of time.”

That sounds to me like the understatement of the new campaign so far.

And the driver is anything but the Frome Flyer, his nickname in honour of his UK birth town, who has won 15 times and is being paid £20m (Dh109m)-a-year. But he believes his struggling McLaren can be a winner again and, stereotypically, he will not surrender even in the light of already fading hope.

There is clearly a massive amount of catching up to be achieved, not only on the likely runaway leaders Mercedes — driven by champion Lewis Hamilton and runner-up Nico Rosberg — but the lesser challengers on the grid as well if he and McLaren are not to slip into reverse in the championship chase.

Ahead of Sunday’s crucial second round clash in Malaysia, Button, striving to be upbeat, adds: “If we didn’t have hope you wouldn’t see such a strong effort by all of us in the team. Honda are in F1 because they are passionate about racing. And they are looking forward to the future as much as I am.”

That is a mantra designed, and maybe instructed by both the McLaren and Honda hierarchy, to boost morale in the face of what is bound to be a formidable challenge, with only hope and not certainty in the offing.

Button, newly-married to model Jessica Michibata, heads for his happy hunting ground Malaysia having notched the magic threesome of a win from pole with the fastest lap there in 2009, his title year, and with second, third and fourth placings at other times.

There is no doubting his ability and, notwithstanding his position as the oldest driver in Formula One, his enthusiasm and honesty of purpose, whatever his salary, is as intense now as it was when he first started racing among the elite 15 years ago.

His down-to-earth feedback will be valued by his bosses as they bid to fathom a way forward.

“We learned a massive amount from the race in Melbourne,” he says. “And I enjoyed the experience. It made me believe we can make big strides. I think we will improve for this Sunday’s race.

“It has been a tough winter lay-off and our longest run in testing was only 12 laps, so to get through a 58-lap race in Melbourne was a significant step forward.”

He was full of fight in that demanding opener Down Under and, despite dropping to the rear of the field, smiled: “Even finishing was a small victory.”

He went on: “We are still a long way off, but this was a good starting point and, honestly, I enjoyed the race.

“Okay, we were last, and I had to fight hard, but we learned a massive amount by completing a race distance. It was a great opportunity for me to play around with the car and get used to it, making adjustments in the cockpit and getting the feel of a fresh challenge.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do ahead of Malaysia and there are many areas we can improve upon. But it is an exciting time and I’m really relishing the challenge.

“All of us in the team are looking forward to a successful future together. And we are pushing the boundaries in a massive bid to get Honda back to their old winning ways — a re-run of the 80s and 90s.

“I am confident it will happen because there are plenty of positives. It will be hard work, but it will be worth it. And I won’t give up giving it my all.”

Hear, hear.

— The writer is a freelance journalist and motorsport expert