Jenson Button was relieved to have limited the damage from a tumultuous weekend at the Japanese Grand Prix as the Brawn GP driver moved a step closer to securing his first Formula One world championship.

Having started 10th on the grid, Button eventually finished eighth at Suzuka to salvage what could prove to be a crucial point as team-mate and chief challenger Rubens Barrichello could only cross the line one place better in seventh.

Sebastian Vettel dominated the 53-lap contest from pole to take his third win of the campaign, which thrust the Red Bull driver back into contention as he closed to within 16 points of the Englishman.

But in the end, Button's lead in the drivers' standings was reduced by just one to 14 points thanks to Barrichello's inability to take advantage of his team-mate's unfortunate situation.

With just two races remaining, the 29-year-old stressed that even if he fails to finish in the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos in two weeks' time, he will still be in a very strong position going into the final race of the season at Abu Dhabi.

"Whatever happens in Brazil, I'll have a four-point lead," Button said.

"I lost a point today, which is frustrating because compared to Rubens my pace was very good in the race, but I started a long way behind him.

"Losing one point isn't so bad. It's seven points per race now instead of five points per race that he needs to beat me by.

"It's not a bad position. I go to Brazil positive and looking forward to the challenge and it is going to be a challenge.

"Sebastian's quick and the Red Bull seems very quick, the track's still got high-speed corners and they showed us they are quick on low-speed circuits like Singapore so they're going to be difficult to beat."

Both Button and Barrichello were demoted five places on Saturday for failing to slow sufficiently under waved yellow flags following Sebastien Buemi's accident.

However, the grid was revised prior to the race and Button was promoted two slots to 10th, while Barrichello gained four places to start sixth.

That meant the Brazilian was excellently placed to eat into his team-mate's advantage, even more so when Button found himself following the slow-moving McLaren of Heikki Kovalainen around in the early stages.

However, Adrian Sutil took care of that particular problem when the Force India driver and the Finn came together at the final chicane on lap 13, allowing Button to pass both and finally enjoy a clear track in front of him.

"Sutil was all over Kovalainen so it was going to happen, you could see it," Button added.

"It was just so frustrating with Kovalainen, wherever I am on the grid I seem to have a KERS car around me and it made it very difficult as his pace wasn't that good."