BUTTON: VETTEL SOUGHT ADVICE ON POSSIBLE RACE RETURN

Formula 1 World champion Jenson Button has told Motorsport News that he had a private conversation with his former grand prix rival Sebastian Vettel shortly after the German completed a test for the Porsche Penske team in Spain last month.

Vettel is still believed to be weighing up the possibility of racing a Penske Porsche 963 Hypercar at Le Mans in June after a test with the German manufacturer.

“We had an exchange after the test,” confirmed 2009 World title winner

Button at Imola last weekend. “Sebastian has a few options. There’s always the possibility of him racing in F1 though too. I know the situation – not from our conversation with him, I don’t want to discuss that – but I understand the situation he is probably in right now.”

Button committed to a full FIAWorld Endurance Championship season with the Jota squad that runs a privateer Porsche 963, which he shares with

Oliver Rasmussen and Phil Hanson.

But he says that Vettel will try and find the balance he needs to strike should he want to return to racing in short or medium term.

“[Sebastian]’s got kids, he’s spent so many years away racing, and it was the same for me,” added Button. “It’s a difficult balance. Even just doing eight races – well, nine because I did Daytona too – is tough. He has got to get his head around what works for him. He’s probably got options in F1 as well.”