WORLD OF SPORT
JENSON BUTTON will race for McLaren again next season, ending speculation the 2009 world champion was heading for retirement.
Button said he was confi dent that the Honda- powered team would overcome their “current diffi culties” to achieve great successes in the future.
“Over the past month or so I’ve done quite a lot of thinking and it is no secret that I was at one point in two minds about my future,” said Button.
“Ron Dennis [ team chief] 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 diffi culties to great successes in the future.
“That gives me great confi dence and it is for that reason that both he and I have decided to continue our partnership.” The second most successful team in F1, after Ferrari, are ninth out of 10 teams in their worst season. Button, the last McLaren driver to win a race back in 2012, has scored just six points in 14 races this year and suffered repeated penalties and retirements.
Mercedes, meanwhile, will supply their power units to back- markers Manor Marussia next season .
Marussia, the smallest team in the sport, went into administration at the end of last season and survived only after a late rescue deal was put together. They have used Ferrari engines for the past two years.
The new partnership comes amid a general shake- up of the engine landscape, with Renault set to buy Mercedespowered Lotus and Red Bull’s two teams negotiating with Ferrari after breaking from Renault.