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Button shrugs off technical changes

Jenson Button: "I really like Paddy, it's been good fun working with him over the past three years" © Sutton Images

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• Drivers:
• Jenson Button
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• Paddy Lowe

• Teams:
• McLaren
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• Mercedes

Jenson Button says he is unconcerned by the departure of McLaren's technical director Paddy Lowe.

Lowe was replaced as technical director by Tim Goss on Monday and is expected to join Mercedes at the end of the year. While Button admitted that he was sad to see Lowe leaving the team from a personal point of view, he said the team would remain successful regardless of individual personnel changes.

"I really like Paddy," Button is quoted by Reuters. "It's been good fun working with him over the past three years, not just in a working relationship, but also as a friend because he is a good guy, a fun character. But things change, he wants to try something new, a new challenge, which is fair play to him. He has to think about number one. Good luck to him.

"I didn't come here because Paddy was here, I didn't come here because Lewis (Hamilton) was here. I came here because this is McLaren, with its heritage and history - a word we always use, but it is the truth - and its strength in depth. It's not about one individual, it's about the full team, and Paddy leaving is part of the sport, people move around and go to different places. This team will succeed with or without Paddy in the future."

Button was also keen to praise the "fantastic" Goss as he settles in to the technical director role.

"Having Tim in the position he is now in - fantastic. He was exceptional in his previous role, and I think he will be in this role...he knows exactly what he is doing."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.