Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Jenson Button could quit Formula One with Fernando Alonso to return to McLaren

Button, 34, has struggled this season and is down in seventh

Tom Sheen
Thursday 06 November 2014 17:41 GMT
Comments
It has been a tough year for McLaren, but Jenson Button
remains eighth on the overall championship standings
It has been a tough year for McLaren, but Jenson Button remains eighth on the overall championship standings (Getty Images)

Jenson Button will retire at the end of the season, 15 years after making his debut in Formula One, according to reports.

The 34-year-old, who won the drivers' championship with the Brawn team in 2009, could be replaced at McLaren by double world champion Fernando Alonso, who drove with the team in 2007.

According to the Daily Mail, Button had hoped that rookie team-mate Kevin Magnussen would be the one to make way for the Spaniard, but team principle Eric Bouiller believes the 22-year-old is a better fit with the Ferrari driver.

The paper quoted an inside source as saying: "Eric thinks the drivers must fit together rather than having two No 1 drivers. That is bad news for Jenson."

Fernando Alonso was at McLaren in 2007
Fernando Alonso was at McLaren in 2007 (Getty Images)

Button is currently the most experienced driver in the sport, with 264 grands prix. He had to wait until his 113th race in 2006 to notch his first win and he has 15 victories in total.

Button could make a move into sports cars or endurance racing, and is said to have held talks with Mark Webber's Porsche team. The Briton considered retiring at the start of this season after the death of his father, John.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in