Button signs new, multi-year deal with McLaren 05 Oct 2011
Uncertainty surrounding Jenson Button’s Formula One future was removed on Wednesday morning when McLaren announced that the British driver has re-signed with the team for 2012 and beyond on a new, multi-year contract.
Button joined McLaren as reigning world champion at the start of 2010, winning two Grands Prix that season. This year he has taken a further two victories, leads team mate Lewis Hamilton by 17 points in the driver standings, and is Sebastian Vettel’s sole remaining rival for the 2011 title.
"I’ve never felt more at home at a team than I do at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes,” said Button. "I’ve won four of the greatest races of my life here, I’m currently lying second in the drivers’ world championship, and I feel that I’m driving better than ever. You can only achieve that with the right level of support - and I truly believe that the passion and determination to win are stronger here at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes than anywhere else.
"As a Grand Prix driver, those are incredibly powerful feelings to share and be part of, and they’ve only reinforced my desire to commit my long-term future to this team. I’ve made no secret of my ambition to continue winning races and world championships, and I fully believe this is the place where I can achieve those aims. We at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes know how to win, and we’re busy refining an organisation that will enable us to keep on doing that for years to come."
On the news that Button will remain his team mate next season, Hamilton said: "It’s great that Jenson has chosen to stay with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. Jenson has been a great person to work with, and a genuine team-player, from the moment we welcomed him on board. Jenson and I are as hungry and as ambitious as ever to win races and world championships in the future."
McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh added: “Jenson is a great driver and a great guy. In fact, I can safely say that he’s one of the most capable and respected drivers we’ve ever had, and I’m therefore absolutely delighted that he’ll continue to work with us into the future. He’s a considerable credit to this organisation, and I’m proud to be his team principal. I feel sure that he’ll now build on the considerable success he’s already achieved with us, and will be even more successful with us in years to come.
“I think he and Lewis say it better than anyone. Their comments show just how much they respect and trust each other, and they once again continue to prove what we as a team have always known: that Vodafone McLaren Mercedes has the very best driver line-up in all of Formula One."
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