• Singapore Grand Prix

Button enjoying team-mate speculation

Jenson Button: "There's a lot of guesswork going on for everyone I think, and it's quite interesting" © Press Association

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• Race:
• Singapore Grand Prix

• Drivers:
• Jenson Button

• Teams:
• McLaren

Jenson Button admits he enjoys following the speculation about who his team-mate will be next season.

Lewis Hamilton is reportedly the subject of a contract offer from Mercedes and yet to commit his future to any team beyond the end of 2012. That in turn has led to Sergio Perez being linked as a potential replacement at McLaren, and Button admits he follows all of the stories regarding what may be happening as he finds it entertaining.

"I think it's great," Button said. "Every day I read the papers - because we all do, even if we say we don't - and the websites and there's a lot of good reading out there! I'm not sure how much truth is in any of it - not saying that you guys don't write the truth always - there's a lot of interesting things going on, but funnily enough there are no quotes from any of the people who are involved! It is amazing how you [the media] come up with so many stories and there are no quotes from the actual people involved saying yes or no. It's difficult for you guys in that situation, I know.

"But I don't know; you have [Luca di] Montezemolo saying [Perez] is not ready for Ferrari and you have him also saying he's not ready for a top team, so I don't know where he's going to be next year. There's a lot of talk and it's an exciting part of the season for everyone. For me, I obviously know where I am next year so it's a lot more straightforward but it's interesting reading all of the rumours. There's a lot of guesswork going on for everyone I think, and it's quite interesting."

Button also admitted that he takes a keen interest in who will be driving alongside him as he wants to be compared with a competitive driver in the same car.

"Yes, you care. I personally moved here because I wanted a competitive team-mate. It's always fun really judging yourself; if you have a good day over a race weekend and you're in front of your team-mate and he's a world champion it means a lot more and you really enjoy that moment. When you're behind it's frustrating but you respect the fact that he's done a better job than you, so it's really good having a competitive team-mate, yes, that's the most important thing for me."

Despite all the speculation, Button said judging by his own experiences Hamilton wouldn't be distracted at all by the rumours.

"I quite like it; it's quite exciting in that situation. I've never found it a bad thing when people have asked you where you're racing. When you've got more than one interested party it's always nice for a driver. So no, I didn't mind that situation at all at any time in my career, the only difficult time was probably with Williams and BAR but that was for different reasons. But when people are talking about if you're going to be here or somewhere else I've never had a real issue about it before."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.