• McLaren news

Button has no 2014 contract

ESPN Staff
August 22, 2013 « Hamilton 'more motivated than ever' | Red Bull still has lots of options for 2014 drive - Horner »
Jenson Button is currently in his fourth season with McLaren © Sutton Images
Enlarge

Jenson Button has revealed he doesn't have a contract for 2014 signed but would like to stay at McLaren.

Having been with the team since 2010, Button is now its only world champion driver after Lewis Hamilton was replaced by Sergio Perez. However, with a vacancy at Red Bull and a potential seat at Ferrari, Button was asked about his own future and admitted he didn't have a deal signed with McLaren yet.

"I think I have a contract for next year but I don't think it has a signature on it yet!" Button said. "I really want to be here next year. You might think 'Wow, that's strange after this season', but I think this season has been good for us in a way. I think this will be a much stronger team next year so I want to be here next year. But - as you say - you haven't heard the confirmation of that yet from the team. I think you have to wait for that."

Asked about the seats that could be available, Button said Ferrari was the main opportunity for drivers.

"I think Red Bull is done. I think the Ferrari seat is a great opportunity for any driver in F1. To get the opportunity to race for a team like Ferrari is very exciting; what they've achieved, the passion within the team, the culture is very interesting, so I think it's a great opportunity and hopefully somebody who deserves it will get the drive."

Focusing on the Belgian Grand Prix this weekend, Button added that he was still optimistic that McLaren could fight for a top three finish at Spa.

"I think we have to be optimistic, and I am. I don't know where we are going to end up but I feel we should be aiming to fight for a podium. If we finish fifth and five seconds behind third I think I would be reasonably happy, but I don't want to be fifth or sixth and 30 seconds behind third. That's something that we would say we haven't made an improvement.

"So I think we should aim to fight for a podium, yes. I don't see any reason why not. I think we should put pressure on ourselves; we need it I think and I think we work well under it so I have no issue in saying that."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
ESPN Staff Close