Jenson Button believes that Red Bull are bluffing with their claims that new tests introduced by Formula One's governing body have not affected their cars' performance.

Button and McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton sounded dejected last Thursday when asked about their title prospects. Red Bull's emphatic victory in Hungary before the summer break had convinced them that their rivals' pace was insurmountable.

Both believed they had to capitalise on the next two races, at the lower downforce circuits of Spa and Monza, to stand any chance of keeping up with Red Bull once we headed out to the Far East again.

Hamilton did just that, winning emphatically in Belgium.

And although Button failed to score after being shunted out of the race by Red Bull rival Sebastian Vettel while second, he was greatly encouraged both by his car's pace and by the fact that new cameras mounted on the underside of the cars during practice appeared to show Red Bull's 'flexing' properties had been compromised.

"I think the circuit characteristics suited us in Spa and that Red Bull's pace was affected by the new tests," Button said.

Having already doubled the load-bearing limit for front wings, the FIA - F1's governing body - is set to impose even more rigorous tests in an effort to clamp down on flexible bodywork in the build-up to the Italian Grand Prix.

"I hope the new, even more stringent tests for Monza will have even more of an effect," he added.

McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh, meanwhile, scoffed at suggestions that Button may be asked to help Hamilton win the title now that he is 35 points behind the championship leader.

"I was with them just now [just after the race] and Jenson was saying to Lewis, 'I'm now 35 points behind you but I am still going to nail you'. And that's the way it should be," Whitmarsh said.

Hamilton said he did not need any help anyway. "As long as my guys do their job, which they always do, then I don't need anything else," he said.