Jenson Button has said that he may have to retire from Formula 1 at the end of this season if McLaren look towards signing Fernando Alonso, instead of renewing the Brit’s contract. Button is in his 15th year of F1 and his fifth with McLaren.
It has been no secret for some time that McLaren have been interested in taking Alonso from Ferrari. The Spaniard raced for the team back in 2007, but after a spoiled relationship, Alonso went back to Renault after only one season, after having an initial three year contract.
But after 259 race starts, Button believes the remaining seven of the 2014 season could be his last in the sport.
Speaking to the BBC, the 2009 world champion said: “We haven’t sat down and talked about it. If I have to retire at the end of the season then so be it but I feel I have so much more to give and I can’t imagine life without motorsport and especially Formula One.”
With Honda coming in next season to supply a power unit for McLaren, it is believed they want a “big name driver” at the team to maximise the potential on the Honda power unit.
Many see Alonso as the main target from Honda, but it will not be cheap to remove him from Ferrari.
Alonso has a remaining contract with Ferrari until the end of 2016 and it is estimated that it would take £40m to buy him out of his contract. There is also a performance clause in Alonso’s contract; that if Ferrari don’t finishing third or higher in the constructors championship, he may be able to get out of his contract – should he wish to do so.
Also, with Ferrari team principal, Marco Mattiacci confirming that Alonso will be racing with the Scuderia in 2015, Button’s drive may just be safe.
But with no confirmation on the future of Button, nor on the signing on Alonso, the future of Button may just be saved.
