Jenson Button (left) and Lewis Hamilton (right) have been teammates since the start of the 2010 season.Jenson Button has apologized to Lewis Hamilton after their collision at Canadian GPThe British pair are currently second and fourth in the drivers' championshipHamilton has said McLaren need a car as fast as Red Bull to catch Sebastian Vettel
(CNN) -- McLaren's Jenson Button has told CNN he apologized to teammate Lewis Hamilton after their collision at June's Canadian Grand Prix.
Button, the 2009 drivers' champion, secured his first race win of the season at the rain-soaked race in Montreal, overtaking Red Bull's world championship leader Sebastian Vettel on the final lap.
But while Button celebrated, his compatriot Hamilton -- who claimed the world title in 2008 -- was forced to retire from proceedings following a clash between the two after seven laps.
Despite their coming together in Montreal, the colleagues insist that it has not soured their relationship heading into this weekend's British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
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"I had to say sorry," said the 31-year-old. "I didn't even know who was there. When you are racing together wheel-to-wheel a lot of the time, there's a possibility of touching. But that was just one of those things, I had no clue he was there."
When you are racing together wheel-to-wheel a lot of the time, there's a possibility of touching--Jenson Button
"That's what racing is," agreed Hamilton, 26. "In those conditions you can't see a thing. It's crazy, every lap I was having to wipe my helmet."
After his late lapse in Canada, reigning drivers' champion Vettel bounced back emphatically to clinch the European Grand Prix in Valencia -- his sixth win from eight races so far.
The German already has a 77-point lead over second placed Button in this year's championship, and the 23-year-old is a further 12 points ahead of Hamilton.
When asked how to stop Vettel's march towards a second world crown, Hamilton's answer was simple: "We just need to get a faster car, as fast as theirs, then I don't think we'll be having too many problems."
Hamilton has drawn comparisons with three-time world champion Ayrton Senna for his aggressive driving during the season, a style of racing which has seen him take numerous post-race trips to the steward's office.
Senna died after a fatal crash during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola and Hamilton admits to idolizing the Brazilian.
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"I always wanted to try and emulate him," said Hamilton. "To study his videos and study him as much as I could before I even got to Formula One. And, I'm probably still learning things from him."
In contrast to Hamilton, Button said his role model as a youngster was Senna's fierce rival and former teammate -- French four-time championship winner Alain Prost.
"I really liked his style of driving," revealed Button. "Both of them for me were very special drivers.
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"When I was growing up in the late 1980's I was eight, nine years old and that's when I started go carting. I remember watching these two fighting as teammates and it was great to watch, some of the best times in Formula 1 history."
Button has never finished higher than fourth at his home race -- in 2004 and 2010 -- but the former Brawn GP driver said the fans make Silverstone a unique venue.
"It's very special. You got the home crowd support and I remember going there last year and just seeing a sea of rocket red caps [McLaren's color], so it's a good atmosphere."
The British Grand Prix will be the ninth round of the Formula One season, with the German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring set to take place on July 24.
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