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Hamilton suggested Button as team-mate

ESPNF1 Staff
January 30, 2010 « Toyota car missed opportunity for new teams - McLaren | »
Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button will work together to win the title for McLaren © Sutton Images
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Lewis Hamilton has revealed he suggested Jenson Button as his 2010 partner at McLaren.

Although Hamilton had previously claimed he was happy to drive alongside Heikki Kovalainen again, he explained that he had phoned team boss Martin Whitmarsh with a recommendation Button be approached.

"One thing you may not know is that I actually called Martin and said, 'What about Jenson?'," he said. "It was before they had any negotiations. I have no input to who they pick but I asked if they had spoken to him. He was the best driver available and they wanted to get the best driver possible.

"I can't win the constructors' championship on my own, so I need to have as strong a team-mate as possible. You want someone to push you. I had that in 2007 [with Fernando Alonso], and in 2008 Heikki [Kovalainen] pushed me at points.

"I've no doubt that Jenson will be hard to beat. His results last year speak for themselves."

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