Jenson Button may be one of the oldest drivers on the grid, but he has no plans to retire just yet and is keen on staying at McLaren despite his contract expiring at the end of the season.
The 2009 world champion joined McLaren at the beginning of 2010, and has enjoyed some success with the British team, finishing as the runner-up in the 2011 championship behind Sebastian Vettel.
He is confident of remaining with the team in 2015 – the first year of its Honda partnership – but believes that it is not yet time to discuss a new contract.
“We’re here, we’ve spent four good years together already,” Button explained in Canada. “We both want to work together in the future but it’s just not time yet [to talk about a contract]. Not the right time.
“We have a lot of other issues to solve first before we start thinking about the future too much. We’re in a good place and y’know, I think my experience does help me a lot.”
Button turned 34 in January, and is one of the oldest drivers on the grid. However, he still feels that he can still fight at the very front in the next few years despite the new generation of racers coming through the ranks.
“I still feel very young at heart, fitter than ever and I have all that experience,” he said. “I’m in a great position and I feel I’ve got a lot more to give in the future in Formula 1. I definitely can’t see an end to my career. This is my life and where I want to be in the future.”
With speculation linking Fernando Alonso to McLaren refusing to go away, the Briton’s future will undoubtedly come under scrutiny at a number of times this season. However, his relationship with the team shows no signs of souring, and still looks set to lead it into a new era with Honda engines in 2015.
