Bristol man could win £12k on Button

Bristol punter Tom Davies is revving up for a £12,000 windfall after betting on Jenson Button to win the World Championship – at odds of 80-1.

Electrical engineer Tom, 29, put £150 on Button in late December in the hope that Honda's withdrawal would see the promising young Brit land a new drive with a top team.

Now Tom, is in pole position for a big win thanks to F1 genius Ross Brawn, who designed the car which has left Ferrari and McLaren trailing in its wake all season.

Yesterday Tom, who is one of only 11 punters to back Button at 80-1, said: ''I'm not past the finishing line yet, but I'm almost on the home straight.

"Six out of seven wins for Jenson is incredible. If he keeps this up, I am going to get a nice windfall.

''I usually bet on horses, but I thought I'd have a punt on Button because he has done well over the last couple of years with a poor car.

''I was thinking he would end up at Ferrari, someone with a more competitive car, then he would have a chance. I wasn't confident when Ross Brawn took over the team as I thought it would take time for them to come up with a good car."

Tom placed the bet at the Ladbrokes shop in Bedminster.

Since the first race of the season in Melbourne, in which Button claimed the chequered flag ahead of team-mate Rubens Barrichello, Tom has been on the edge of his seat.

Further victories for him in Malaysia, Bahrain, Barcelona, Monaco and Turkey leave Tom – and Button – firmly in the driving seat with 10 races left.

A win, plus Tom's stake back, will see him pocket a cool £12,150.

Somerset-born Button, 29, who drove 113 Grand Prix before winning one in 2006, was left high and dry when it was announced Honda Racing was up for sale in December.

Honda Motors chief executive Takeo Fukui blamed the credit crunch and said the team would end their nine-year relationship with the sport unless a buyer was found.

Button, tipped for great things when he made his debut for Williams in 2000, waited anxiously for almost three months until team principal Brawn led the buy-out in late February and renamed the team Brawn GP.

Now the one-time F1 playboy, who took a pay-cut to stay with the fledgling outfit, is odds of just 1/12 to win the title.

Yesterday Ladbrokes spokesman Robin Hutchison said: ''Tom is one of a select band who backed Button at fancy prices.

''We thought Lewis Hamilton was bad news last year, but it looks like Button and his patriotic pals are going to drive off with even more of our profits this time."