Jenson Button is set to call time on his illustrious 16-year Formula One career at the end of his current McLaren-Honda campaign, according to multiple sources.
Although racing director Eric Boullier recently said that the team intended to keep Button for 2016, Telegraph Sport reports that the 35-year-old could announce his retirement ahead of this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.
In the light of Honda’s extremely challenging return to F1, Button and team-mate Fernando Alonso have been touring at the back of the field all season. The Spaniard returned to McLaren on a three-year deal last winter, while the Briton had to wait until early December 2014 to have his seat confirmed.
Most of Woking’s senior management initially wanted to keep current reserve driver Kevin Magnussen, but eventually elected to give Button a one-year contract that includes an option for an extra season.
Talking to reporters in the Singapore paddock, the Somerset driver said he would either race for McLaren in 2016 or quit F1, thus ruling out a move to a smaller outfit like Haas.
A veteran of 278 race starts, Button began competing at the top echelon with Williams in 2000. Since then, he has claimed eight pole positions, clinched 50 podiums, and secured 15 grand prix wins, including six during his 2009 title-winning campaign with Brawn GP.
Having joined McLaren as reigning world champion in 2010, Button was clearly a match for ultra-fast team-mate Lewis Hamilton over the next three years before outscoring the highly-rated Sergio Perez and Magnussen in solid back-to-back campaigns.
Following Button’s likely departure, McLaren can pick between Magnussen and fellow protégé Stoffel Vandoorne, with the team indicating earlier this season that the Dane would be first in line for the seat with the current GP2 Series leader as reserve driver.
REPORT: Vettel takes third win as Hamilton retires in Singapore
AS IT HAPPENED: 2015 Singapore Grand Prix
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