Official: Button chooses to continue the adventure with McLaren in 2016
While he had hinted that he might eventually end his Formula 1 career, Jenson Button will ultimately stay one more season in the paddock. The 2016 season will be his seventh consecutive with McLaren.
Increasingly embarrassed by the unworthy performances of his McLaren-Honda, and after fifteen seasons in Formula 1, Jenson Button had shown signs of discouragement and weariness in recent weeks. Four English media outlets even reported, from concordant sources, that the Englishman was going to announce his retirement from F1 at the Suzuka Grand Prix. Ultimately, this was not the case, even while Ron Dennis proclaimed that his driver was under contract with McLaren for 2016.
The suspense finally ended today: Jenson Button will indeed stay for another season with McLaren-Honda next year. Ron Dennis confirmed it on the team’s official website: « Jenson and I have discussed his plans privately over the past few weeks, and our negotiations have led to today’s announcement. It’s a pleasure and a great joy for us to confirm this, and it will also motivate everyone at McLaren-Honda. »
The President of McLaren reminds that, as I have clearly stated every time I have been questioned on the matter, Jenson’s current contract is for two years. There is an option to terminate the contract at the end of the first year [end of 2015] that McLaren could have activated if we wanted, but once it became clear, after my many conversations with Jenson, that he would remain as enthusiastic as dedicated and focused as before, this option immediately became irrelevant.
The contract of Jenson Button having remained unchanged, he might not have to endure a salary cut due to the upcoming financial difficulties of McLaren-Honda, which is poorly ranked in the constructors’ standings.
« As I said », continues Ron Dennis, « I am extremely delighted. Jenson is the most experienced driver currently racing in Formula 1, and next season, he will become only the third driver [after Barrichello and Schumacher] in the history of Formula 1 to reach the milestone of 300 Grand Prix. And even though the richness of his experience makes him an asset of considerable value to our team, as he is a 21st-century Formula 1 expert in all areas, he is also extremely prepared and as fast as ever. »
On his side, Jenson Button hinted that he had indeed considered ending his career: « Over the past month I have thought a lot, and it’s no secret to reveal that at one point, for my future, I had two different choices in my mind. (…) But it became clear that Ron was both strongly determined and better than anyone else to lead our team through its current difficulties, until we achieve great successes in the future. This gave me great confidence, and that’s why, together, he and I have decided to continue our collaboration; and as soon as I made this decision, I immediately knew it was the right one. »
The 2009 World Champion hopes that the current season will soon be nothing more than a bad nightmare: « Of course, I agree with you, this year has not been easy for us. But we know we have to improve and, in collaboration with Honda, we will work really hard over the next weeks and months to ensure that 2016 will be a much better season than 2015. I am really looking forward to it! »
The extension of Jenson Button therefore puts an end to the hopes of McLaren’s young talents, Kevin Magnussen and Stoffel Vandoorne, of getting a promotion this year. They will likely have to wait until 2017 or try their luck with another team.
