Button can win the championship in Suzuka

Jenson Button could secure this season's world title as early as this weekend, in Suzuka.

The British driver has a 15 point margin over Rubens Barrichello and to win the championship with two races to spare he will only need to score 5 points more than the Brazilian.

If Button were to win the race, he would win the title if the Brazilian did not finish higher than fourth. By finishing second the 29-year-old could be champion if his teammate doesn't finish higher than sixth place. With a third place, the Briton would be world champion if Barrichello doesn't finish higher than eighth place. If the Brazilian doesn't finish the race, a fourth place on the finish line will be enough for Button.

Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel is also still fighting for the title, but he is 25 points behind the Englishman from Brawn.

Brawn GP can also close out the constructors' championship in Japan. In this case it would be enough if the Red Bull drivers did not score 11 points more than the pair from the British team.

Many observers believe that Sunday's race could definitively mark both the drivers' and manufacturers' championships, but Ross Brawn disagreed.

“It's not over until it's really over,” he told the Evening Standard.

Andre' Cotta