- McLaren
Crucial to secure more than one-year deal - Button
Securing a contract longer than a single year was crucial to Jenson Button's decision to stay at McLaren in 2015.
Button finally signed a new contract on Wednesday night to remain at McLaren for two years after weeks of speculation about whether he would get the drive. His 2014 team-mate Kevin Magnussen was also in the running for the race seat alongside Fernando Alonso next year, but had to settle for a test and reserve driver next season.
Button said making sure he was at the team for more than one year was at the top of his list of priorities when negotiating the deal.
"I think we both agree that more than one year is a must," he said. "This is a new project and an exciting project. To be part of the legendary partnership with McLaren and Honda is not a one-year thing. I'm very much looking forward to more than one year - we can't really talk about the contract in detail - and it was not something I was only going to be around for one year for.
"I'm here to compete, I'm here to fight for the world championship, and whether that's in 2015 or not - maybe it won't be, maybe it will be in future years - I'm hopefully here for the long term."
McLaren boss Ron Dennis clarified that it was the team that went to Button with a two year deal: "The two year contract was my idea. He didn't ask for a two-year contract, we made a proposal, part of which was two years."
Button said the new contract had been worth the lengthily wait.
"It's been a long few weeks, but sometimes the best things in life are worth waiting for," Button said. "I'm not one to shy away from new challenges in life and I think this is a really, really exciting challenge. To be involved with the new era of McLaren-Honda really does mean a lot to me.
"To race alongside this guy [Fernando Alonso] is a big challenge, but an exciting challenge that I'm very much looking forward to."
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