McLaren-Honda confirms Jenson Button for 2016

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For a second year in a row, the Jenson Button – “Will he stay or will he go” – saga has been drawn to a conclusion. F1’s most senior driver will remain at Woking to race in 2016.

A statement released states,

Ron Dennis said: “Jenson and I have been discussing his plans in private for the past few weeks, and the fact that our talks have led to today’s announcement is very pleasing to both of us and will delight and motivate all at McLaren-Honda.

“As I have made clear whenever I have been asked about the subject, Jenson’s current contract is of two years’ duration [2015 and 2016]. There is a ‘terminate after year one’ option that McLaren could have triggered if we had wished to do so, but, once it became clear from my many conversations with Jenson that he remained as enthusiastic and as committed and as focused as ever, that option immediately became an irrelevance. That being the case, Jenson will race for McLaren-Honda next year, under the terms and conditions as set out in the two-year contract that both parties entered into a year ago.

“As I say, I am extremely pleased. Jenson is the most experienced driver currently racing in Formula 1, and next season he is due to become only the third driver [after Rubens Barrichello and Michael Schumacher] in Formula 1 history to pass the milestone of 300 Grands Prix. But, although that wealth of experience makes him a massively valuable asset to our team, hugely expert in all aspects of the 21st-century Formula 1 driver’s craft, he is also supremely fit and as super-fast as ever.”

Jenson Button said: “Over the past month or so I have done quite a lot of thinking, and it is no secret that I was at one point in two minds about my future.

“But I have been a McLaren driver for six seasons now [2010-2015], and in that time I have got to know Ron very well. He and I have had some very good chats these past few weeks, and during those chats it has become clear to me that Ron is both utterly determined and uniquely equipped to lead our team through its current difficulties to great successes in the future. That gives me great confidence, and it is for that reason that, together, he and I have decided to continue our partnership; and, as soon as I had made that decision, straight away I realised it was the correct one.

“Okay, granted, this year has not been an easy one for us, but we know what we need to do to improve things and, in collaboration with Honda, we will work extremely hard over the next weeks and months in order to make sure that 2016 will be a much better season than 2015 has been.

“I can’t wait!”

10 responses to “McLaren-Honda confirms Jenson Button for 2016

  1. “Will he say or will he go”

    going by the team radio every race I’d say its always a given that Jenson will always say 🙂

    All mirth aside, glad he’s staying for another year, would be a shame to go out with such a poor car, here’s dreaming of a more competitive car for Button next year.

  2. I’m sort of glad JB is staying, but I really wanted to see Vandoorne in F1 next year. I wonder what his (Stoff’s) options are for 2016 now? He doesn’t want to end up like KMag, who basically loiters around the back of the garage like a far less aesthetically pleasing version of Susie Wolff or Carmen Jorda.

  3. After the grilling Ron received at the hands of Brundle and Herbert in Suzuka, this news was inevitable. He publicly acknowledged that both drivers would be there in 2016, so he really couldn’t go back on his word, even if he wanted to.

  4. …and so Ron gives us tacit acknowledgment that 2016 will be as dire as 2015.

    ..cue music…

    Old Man River. Old Man River.
    He won’t win a race, he just don’t got the pace.
    Old Man River. He just keeps on rolling along.

  5. Without sounding like a JB Fan boi (which of course I am), well done JB! Completely fooled absolutely everyone in F1, media and fandom. JB – 1 RD – 0

    How about McLaren create a car that works now?

  6. This seems a very curious way of making a decision:
    as soon as I had made that decision, straight away I realised it was the correct one.”

  7. Am I the only one still waiting for McLaren’s big sponsor announcement this week?

    And seems like a waste having Kmag and Vandoorne in a young driver program if you aren’t going to use them.

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