After being t-boned by title rival Sebastian Vettel in the Belgian Grand Prix when running second, Button was understandably dejected in the immediate aftermath.
The loss of 18 potential points means Button is now 35 adrift of McLaren team-mate and championship leader Lewis Hamilton and facing an uphill battle to retain the crown he won with Brawn GP last year.
But after a couple of hours of contemplation, Button's demeanour had changed dramatically, and now he will head to Monza for the Italian Grand Prix on September 12 in an ebullient mood.
From Button there were no such phrases as 'I think' and 'I hope', instead they were replaced by 'I will' and 'I can'.
For Button, it is a case of changing his mindset, forgetting all about the title battle and instead focusing singularly on the race itself.
"When I got out of my car and walked into my drivers' room I said what happened had massively hurt my championship, and coming back from it would be very difficult," said Button.
But I was very down at that point, as you would be after losing so many points. I had gone from a massive high to a massive low."Looking at it now 35 points is still a lot, which in old money is about 14 points, but it's definitely still possible. I go to Monza positive I can have a good race, but also forgetting the championship.
"I'm in a position now where I have to work towards a race victory because if I come away with that it's a very different atmosphere and a very different feeling for me.
"So that's my aim. It's a circuit I love, one I will do very well on this year, confident in the car and that I'll have a good weekend.
I learned last year that you have to take every race as it comes and work on fine-tuning the car, on making sure it's the best for that race and not thinking too far ahead."And I'm definitely thinking like that for now. In two weeks' time we'll be in Monza, we'll have a good car and I will be fighting for a victory."
Naturally enough, Button still could not help but feel riled at what had unfolded on lap 17 of the 44-lap race.
Vettel at least had the good grace and sensibility to apologise to Button after losing his Red Bull under braking into the bus stop chicane as he attempted to pass the 30-year-old.
As he wrestled for control of his car, Vettel speared into the left-hand side of Button's McLaren, bursting the radiator and sending the Briton into retirement.
Vettel was remarkably able to continue, but after serving a drive-through penalty and later sustaining a puncture he wound up a lowly 15th.
Given it was the second major accident Vettel had been involved in this season after his shunt with team-mate Mark Webber in Turkey, there was inevitable post-race criticism.
McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh accused Vettel of being a "crash kid," perhaps a sense he is starting to become something of a liability.
Button, even after time to reflect yesterday, was still pulling no punches regarding his feelings towards Vettel.
"He just made a mistake, and for me it was a big mistake that cost me a lot of points," added Button.
It was a very costly mistake and I'm the person who has paid for it, but he's made a couple of them this year."I'm not saying he's dangerous, I'm saying that for me he has made too many mistakes this year to fight for the world championship.
"But he is extremely quick, we can't take that away from him, and to get seven poles is extraordinary in the amount of races we have had.
But to throw that many away is also very surprising."
