McLaren are the challengers

British duo Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button are probably the only men capable of pulling off what could be the greatest comeback in F1 history.

Defending Formula One World champion Sebastian Vettel has a commanding lead in this seasons championship.

His Red Bull car has been dominant throughout the season, winning every race except two and looks pretty untouchable.

With a 99 point deficit to Vettel, Ferrari's Fernando Alonso has admitted defeat in this seasons championship hunt: 'The [title] is not in our calculations. If anyone thinks we can win being eight-tenths of a second behind [Red Bull] they don't understand Formula 1.' he told the BBC.

That leaves McLaren's Jenson Button and Vettel's Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber, who are both 77 points behind in the championship standings.

McLaren's Lewis Hamilton is 89 points behind.

But while realistically all hope looks to be lost, McLaren have proved they can beat Vettel.

McLaren's Lewis Hamilton picked up the win in Shanghai at the Chinese Grand Prix in April and McLaren did it again when Jenson Button managed to drive his car from last to first in the memorable Canadian Grand Prix earlier this month and those two results are what keep the hope going in the McLaren garage.

'We're still going to be trying. We have a fantastic team and if we keep pushing hard, we can slowly, slowly pull Vettel back.

'The only people to beat him this season are Lewis and myself. We are the challengers.' Button told the BBC.

Hamilton also remained defiant. 'It's never over until it's over. We're only coming up to halfway, and if we were to win all the other grands prix then we can still win the championship. There's still a big gap but nothing is impossible.'

The next race is of course the British Grand Prix at Silverstone and Hamilton hopes that McLaren can take a one-two finish at their home Grand Prix: 'What we really want is a one-two - think what that would do for British sport and the fans.'

'It would feel massively special to us. Hopefully one day there will be a younger version of me at Silverstone looking up at a photo of myself and Jenson on the podium.'