Jenson Button signs year-long contract with McLaren F1

Sport360 staff 17:55 11/12/2014
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  • Money smile: Former F1 World Champion Jenson Button has secured another year in the sport with McLaren.

    Jenson Button's remarkable 15-season career in F1 is to be extended by at least one more year after McLaren Group CEO Ron Dennis finally decided to retain the services of the 34-year-old.

    – Button’s future at McLaren remains firmly in the balance

    The fact Dennis has spent months of dithering over whether to keep Button or young Dane Kevin Magnussen as partner to the returning Fernando Alonso has come despite the Briton's long service.

    But here we are, now almost three weeks after the 2014 F1 campaign drew to a close, and Button deservedly finds himself staying with the Woking-based marque for a sixth successive term.

    Certainly Button has plenty more to offer, as he proved this past year by outscoring, out-qualifying and out-finishing a driver in Magnussen that many felt at the start of the season could be the next big thing.

    Honda come on board from next season as power-unit supplier, with the Japanese manufacturer making an F1 comeback after a seven-year absence, and it is felt the combined experience of Button and Alonso is the ideal fit to power the team through what will be undoubted problems.

    The fact he had to wait 10 seasons to fulfil his potential before being crowned champion in 2009 was partly due to the decisions of others, but also arguably partly of his own making.

    For instance, although under contract with Williams, they turned their back on Button after a positive debut year, preferring another emerging talent in Juan Pablo Montoya.

    Two dispiriting seasons followed at Benetton / Renault under Flavio Briatore's guidance, the Italian causing outrage when he dropped the Briton in favour of a rising star in Alonso.

    It was during those two years with Briatore that Button lost his way, developing a 'playboy' reputation as some felt he partied harder off the track than he drove on it.

    At least over the second half of 2005 and throughout most of 2006, when BAR were then fully owned by Honda, Button shone.
    Never more so than in Hungary in August of the latter year when, at the 112th attempt, he finally savoured the sweet taste of victory.

    Little did he know then it would be another two and a half years before he would again stand on top of the podium.

    But out of their ashes arose Button's salvation in the form of Brawn GP, and an inspirationally-designed car that exploited a loophole in the regulations.

    Button, who had taken a £5million pay cut to guarantee himself the ride, won six of the first seven races.

    The fact Button limped over the line in the end was due to the fact the team ran out of funds to continue development midway through the campaign, but he had done enough early on to become Britain's 10th world champion.

    Further reward followed when McLaren came calling, forming an all-British 'dream team' with Lewis Hamilton.

    Over the three years of their partnership he marginally outscored Hamilton, even finishing runner-up in 2011, albeit a very distant second to Sebastian Vettel.

    Dennis may have taken his time over his decision, but thankfully for Button and all British motorsport fans he made the sensible choice.

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