Button sidesteps retirement talk

Editor

Despite speculation that he would announce his retirement at Suzuka, Jenson Button has revealed that talks with McLaren are on-going and that nothing is set in stone.

In the build-up to this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix, reports emerged claiming that the 2009 World Champion would announce his retirement.

As such all the attention was on Thursday’s FIA press conference.

But instead of revealing his future plans, Button told the media that as yet nothing has been decided.

“I can’t give you anything else really,” he said. “Since the last race there is no more information to give you.

“You are going to have to wait for a little while I’m sorry to say

“We’re in good talks, the team and myself. That’s it.

“We are here to concentrate on this weekend and it is a big weekend for us, McLaren-Honda in front of a home crowd, in front of Honda’s home crowd at their circuit.

“We hope we can have a good weekend.

“Obviously the weather will mix it up a little bit which is I think what we need to be properly competitive.

“So yeah, we’re focused on this weekend and hoping for a reasonable result.”

The Brit later added that there are “so many possibilities of what can happen next year. So many possibilities…

“I can’t go any further with my comments on that. But I will be happy next year, that is the important thing.”

With Button stating that he will be happy next year, that raised questions about his comments after Singapore about missing the joy of competing in Formula 1.

He explained: “I think it was worded slightly differently than that.

“I don’t think any driver has joy when not fighting for victories. It is the challenge of fighting at the front and the possibility of fighting at the front.

“I don’t like finishing 14th or finishing 10th, that is not what gives me joy or excites me, but there are so many things that if they work in your favour or you see a future, then there is the possibility of joy coming back.

“After the Singapore GP I wasn’t joyful.”

But whatever the 35-year-old’s does decide for his future, it won’t be because he doesn’t have faith in the Honda plan.

He said: “They’ll give everything to win the World Championship. I think it’s a matter of time.”