Button to focus on improving team, not car in 2017

Jenson Button says his role at McLaren-Honda in 2017 will be more about “helping the team to develop” rather than working on fine-tuning the car.

The Briton will step down from his race seat next year but remains contracted with his team until 2018. Button will thus act as an ambassador and a reserve driver, with McLaren holding an option for him to potentially return in 2018.

When asked whether he will be working closely with his current team-mate Fernando Alonso and successor Stoffel Vandoorne next season, the 2009 world champion replied: “I won’t be spending a lot of time with them.

“I won’t be developing the car, because I won’t be driving it. My involvement will be more helping the team to develop as a whole.

“I’ve got a lot of experience working with different teams from a drivers’ point of view. When you step back and have look at the team, there will be areas where I can see still need work. I think I can help with that with my experience with the sport.

“When you’re driving, you’re focussed on your driving, you can’t focus on anything else. Formula One takes over your life, and it’s all about the development of the car and working with your engineers. You don’t look at the bigger picture.”

Button said he needed a break from F1 when announcing his sabbatical at Monza last month. However, the 36-year-old insists he will not take his foot off the gas ahead of the remaining five races of the season.

“I was asked before ‘What do you think about giving feedback knowing that it’s not going to be used for your car next year?’.

"It doesn’t matter, I’m not going to be working for a rival team. Of course I’m going to give all the feedback I can, I want to see the team do well, I’m still part of the team.

“So I will enjoy every race. Every race I go in for, you want to do the best job you can, you want to outqualify your teammate, you want to beat him in a race, as well as get as many points as you can. That never changes. I don’t think that ever changes, however long you’re in the sport.”

Chris Medland's 2016 Japanese Grand Prix preview

Technical snapshot - Malaysia

Scene at the Malaysian Grand Prix

2016 Malaysian Grand Prix - Quotes of the week

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter