Jenson Button has admitted that he hopes to secure a new two-year contract with McLaren which will see him at the Woking team in 2015 when it once again joins forces with Honda.

While Honda enjoyed a relationship with McLaren which netted eight world championships and forty-four grands prix wins, took fifty-three pole positions and set thirty fastest laps, Button's time with the (works) Honda team wasn't quite as fruitful, producing just one win. Indeed, his title came the year after the Japanese manufacturer withdrew from F1 having sold its team to Ross Brawn and partners.

Nonetheless, Button is convinced that McLaren's renewed partnership with Honda will prove successful, and he wants to be part of it.

"I want to be here in 2015. That is an important year, I think," he told Reuters. "I've worked for many years with that Japanese engine manufacturer, it will be exciting to work with them again in the future."

Other than his time as a works Honda driver, Button spent four season with BAR when it was powered by the Japanese manufacturer's engines. Indeed, the Englishman was the subject of a tug-of-war between BAR and Williams which first brought him into F1 in 2000.

With McLaren suffering one of its worst seasons in living memory, some wonder whether the 2009 champion might be better off looking elsewhere, particularly as he is approaching the twilight years of his own career.

"I am loyal. In the past sometimes I haven't been," he admitted. "I think if you are with a smaller team that you can't see a future with, it's the right thing to always look for something better. But when you are with a team like this with the future that this team has, this is a very exciting opportunity for any driver.

"I know that Red Bull have had a great run for the last few years but it will stop," he continued. "I think when you are in a top team, any of the three or four top teams, it's better to stay put for the near future. But especially for me because I really do feel happy here."

While few expect Honda's first season back in the sport to result in the sort of success previously achieved, Button claims that a title is still possible with a Mercedes powered McLaren.

"I am really excited about 2015," he said, "but first of all we've got to look to next year and I think we can win the world championship next year with Mercedes-Benz. There's still a very good partnership there with them and it will be nice to go out on a high."

Looking ahead to this weekend, at Monza, a circuit where he has finished runner-up on three occasions, he said: "It can happen. But we need wet weather, we need everything on our side to make it happen. We are not quick enough, our outright speed is not there.

"You have those three teams that are still fighting for the championship, they are going to be pushing all the way to the end of the season whereas for us we're concentrating more on next year's car. There are parts that will be on this year's car that will also help us next year but we are not designing certain parts for this year's car that will be useless next year. We are limiting how much we will move forward this season."

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1. Posted by Don_lyall, 04/09/2013 23:24

""I know that Red Bull have had a great run for the last few years but it will stop," he continued. "I think when you are in a top team [...] it's better to stay put for the near future".

That's a pretty interesting point, firstly because:

1. It'll be interesting to see what RBR do when that happens - which it fundamentally has to one day. (Personally, I think they'll jack F1 BMW-stylee before see it decline to mid-field).
2. It's the nub of modern F1, really. Be in the right place at the right time, and pick up your prize. Medium-to-Long term and given the 2014 rule changes, McLaren's as good a bet as any, give or take, based on long-term averages.
3. Give point 2., I like that JB clearly gets that if/when McLaren are in a better position, he might have better standing in the team if he were seen to not be moaning in the crap years (which others may have done in the past)."

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Button keen to renew Honda relationship

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