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Button in a 'better place' regarding F1 future

ESPN Staff
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Jenson Button says he feels less pressure about his future than he did before the Japanese Grand Prix despite the ongoing threat of being replaced by Fernando Alonso at McLaren.

McLaren is yet to confirm its line-up for 2015 and wants to secure a star driver to enter its new partnership with Honda, with Alonso tipped with an unlikely return to the team he left in acrimonious circumstances in 2007. Alonso's arrival at McLaren would force either Button or rookie team-mate Kevin Magnussen out of the team but the 2009 world champion admits he his outlook about the situation has changed in recent weeks.

"All I can do is drive round as fast as I can and finish as high as I can, do my job and give as much good feedback as I can, which is what I do anyway," Button said. "I'm not changing anything in the way I work. I'm just making sure I am enjoying it and not feeling like I was a few weeks ago before Japan where I felt under massive pressure. It's not a nice way to feel, but I feel in a much better place - as I was in Russia - just to get my head down and enjoy my racing, and what happens next year happens."

Button finished fifth and fourth in the last two races but he says his upturn in form has nothing to do with his change in attitude.

"It wasn't the results that made me more relaxed because that doesn't change whether I'm going to be here or not next year. The results have been good results, and I've enjoyed driving the car as we've found something with the set up that has helped me quite a bit. As I say, whatever happens, happens."

Earlier this year Button said he would retire if he felt he needed to at the end of 2014 but admits there are other series away from F1 he would be interested in joining were he to leave McLaren in certain circumstances.

"Anything is possible in life if you have the right circumstances or situation, but has to be there for it to happen. I don't watch many other sports, but I do watch a bit of WEC and a bit of rallycross which is just mental. I love that, but I haven't spoken to anyone."

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