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Briton Jenson Button is hopeful of retaining his drive with Honda in 2009 - but knows the younger, skilled contenders that will test with the squad this month have the ability to take his seat.

Honda struggled to compete with their 2008 car as they concentrated on development for 2009, leaving Button and team-mate Rubens Barrichello frustrated.

The Japanese outfit are yet to announce their driver line-up for next season, and will give tests to GP2 pair Bruno Senna and Lucas di Grassi in the next two weeks.

Button, appearing at a media briefing for the Race of Champions event at Wembley Stadium, paused when asked about his future.

"I don't know how to answer that one really," he finally answered. "I'm going testing in a couple of weeks, which is positive, I guess."

Speaking afterwards to Eurosport, he said: "I haven't signed anything, but they (Honda) know how I feel and I think I know how they feel. Hopefully we'll sort something out soon.

"Bruno and Lucas are both testing in Barcelona and it'll be interesting to see how they cope with it.

"These days for drivers in GP2 it's not such a big leap: the GP2 car is only six or seven seconds slower than an F1 car and probably not that much slower than our car last season. And it's slick tyres that they race on, so very similar to next year."

Button, 28, is an experienced hand in Formula One after nine years in the sport. He finished third in the World Championship behind the Ferraris in 2004, but has struggled to compete at the top end of the grid since.

He said his 2008 tribulations were difficult to bear, but that everything could come good in 2009 with former Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn at the helm having overseen development on the new car.

"The last couple of years have been tough," he told Eurosport. "I couldn't even see a future for the team. I pushed hard to get Ross on board because we were lacking in technical understanding and leadership.

"There were areas within the team that were not very strong and he has positioned the talented people within Honda in other roles, not just brought in new people.

"It's really working: You can't see it on the circuit with the car, but at the factory the atmosphere is very positive.

"We haven't been working on this car since the fourth or fifth race - it makes me look bad, but I can put up with that if we build a good car next year."

Button said that the rule changes that come into force from next season will help Honda as they bid to close the gap on the top teams.

"There's a lot of regulation changes: we have the aerodynamics, adjustable front wings - which will be interesting - slick tyres and KERS," he said.

"The changes are good news for us. They mean we're not in a situation where we are three years behind everyone: (usually) you can't catch up in one year, it takes three or four - if you catch up at all.

"They are positive rule changes, which will help the racing. Whether we will be on the podium though or winning races we won't know until we see how the other teams have progressed.

"(But) we have no excuses next year, none of us. It's a completely new season and new regulations; then 2010 is the crunch year: if we are not winning by then, something has got to change."

Jonathan Symcox / Eurosport