Button’s ‘crashing’ offer for Hamilton

Jenson Button has jokingly offered to help compatriot Lewis Hamilton win this year’s World title, all he needs to do is pay the McLaren driver to crash into Nico Rosberg.

With 12 points separating the Mercedes drivers ahead of the season finale it means that even if Hamilton wins Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix he needs title rival Rosberg to finish fourth or lower.

Button has pointed out that the best way to ensure that happens is to take the German out of the race.

He has even volunteered to do it, for a fee of course.

However, he concedes it may not be too easy given that he is seldom within touching distance of Rosberg during grands prix.

“Well, unless one of us crashes into him,” he told GQ Magazine when asked about Rosberg winning the title at the Yas Marina circuit.

“I mean, Lewis is very rich and has a lot of money, flies around in a private jet, so I’m sure he can afford to pay me.

“The only possibility, however, would be when Nico laps me because we’re not fast enough.

“Anyway, I’m open to offers. And anyway, I’m retiring… sorry, taking a sabbatical.”

As for the four drivers he would like to have dinner with, Button named Daniel Ricciardo, Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso and Daniil Kvyat. Sebastian Vettel is off the list after a dodgy WhatsApp.

“Definitely Ricky Bobby, Daniel Ricciardo. Second, Felipe Massa because he really is retiring. Fernando can actually be quite fun. Now I’m stuck…

“I’ll tell you what, Sebastian Vettel sent me a WhatsApp the other day. I was shocked! Not just because he sent me a WhatsApp, I was shocked by the content. Unbelievable! I still wouldn’t invite him though.

“It would probably be Daniil Kvyat, because he’s a lot of fun. And it’s funny because we racing drivers often swap crash helmets after a race, and recently he asked me if he could have mine.

“And when I asked him why, he said he had a story: he told me I was the only driver he had ever asked for an autograph. He said: ‘I was trying to get in with this girl, so I got your autograph for her.’

“This is something like ten years ago, before he was in F1. So yeah… I’ve got a fan. Apparently it didn’t work out with the girl though.”