Martin Whitmarsh confirms McLaren interested in keeping Jenson Button for 2012 – Formula 1 news
McLaren’s team principal Martin Whitmarsh has recently confirmed that the team wants to keep Jenson Button for the 2012 Formula 1 season.
He added that he wants the 2009 Formula 1 champion to devote the remainder of his career to McLaren.
“Jenson will be here next year. We know that, he knows that. There's nothing complicated about it. But we're looking to do a deal that will see him race for McLaren for the rest of his career. That may be for the next three years or the next five years.
Who knows?” he confirmed.
Button confirmed that his contract was expected to expire by the end of the 2011 Formula 1 season and McLaren did not confirm his stay after that statement either. As a result, it was believed that the team might be looking for his replacement alongside
Lewis Hamilton.
However, since the 2009 world champion already confirmed that he is just waiting for the team’s verdict regarding his stay, it seems that he will stay at McLaren for good now.
“Well, if he [Whitmarsh] takes up the option... All he has to do is say yes, and I will say yes because I want to be here next year. It's up to the team as to when they approach me, but for me I'm the happiest I've been with the car,” said Button.
However, one has to admit that Jenson is doing a very good job with the team and he is performing quite consistently which is the main reason why he and his teammate are pretty much on the same level in the drivers’ standings.
The main problem with Lewis Hamilton however is that he is quite aggressive and fails to finish a handful of races because of retirements. But whenever he finishes a race, he finishes with strong points therefore he becomes a strong competitor for the drivers’
title almost every year as well.
Either way, it seems that the top running teams might not have any drivers’ line-up change for 2012 since Red Bull Racing and Ferrari are keen to keep both of their respective drivers for another year as well.
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