Brawn bets each-way on Button title, Schu win

(GMM) A victory during Michael Schumacher's temporary return to formula one is about as likely as Jenson Button taking the drivers' crown at the end of the season.

That is the vote of confidence offered by Ross Brawn, arguably the man closest to both top formula one racers.

"If I could put either ten euros on Jenson winning the championship or on Michael winning a race, I would put five euros on both of them," the Briton said, according to Germany's Bild Zeitung.

Throughout Schumacher's ultra-successful career at both Benetton and Ferrari in the 90s and 2000s, Brawn was the ever-present technical and strategic brain.

Now, in the wake of Honda's withdrawal from F1, the 54-year-old is the boss and team owner of his own outfit Brawn GP, for whom countryman Button leads the championship by 18.5 points after 6 season wins.

A poll on F1's official website shows that nearly 52 per cent of voters believe Schumacher, 40, will score points on his Valencia comeback, nearly 30 per cent predict a return podium, and almost 20 per cent believe the German can win the European grand prix.