Watch Button's reflective exclusive Sky Sports F1 interview
Monday 24 November 2014 15:23, UK
Jenson Button insists he won't feel he will have missed out on a big Formula 1 send-off if this weekend's Abu Dhabi GP proves to be his final race in the sport.
The 2009 World Champion still doesn’t know whether he will be retained by McLaren next season as the team’s management continue to weigh up whether to stick with the 34-year-old Briton or 22-year-old rookie team-mate Kevin Magnussen ahead of the expected return to the team of Fernando Alonso.
In a reflective but upbeat exclusive interview with Sky Sports F1’s Simon Lazenby ahead of the season finale - which can be viewed in full in the video at the top of the page – Button acknowledged publicly for the first time that this weekend could bring the curtain down on his 15-season career in F1.
However, while welcoming the outpouring of support over recent weeks from fans who have expressed their dismay that he isn’t being given the proper chance to say farewell should this prove to be his final race, Button insists he will continue to race in some category for many years to come and in any case would prefer to say goodbye in his own time.
“From what I’ve seen on social networks, it’s very emotional when you see the support,” Button said.
“But if it is my last race I’m not the sort of person that needs a send-off. I’m not retiring if I don’t race in Formula 1 next year, I’m not retiring from motor racing. I don’t think I ever will because I love motor racing so much.
"Of course if I’m not racing here next year there’s a lot of people I’ll miss because it’s been a sport I’ve been part of for so long, a massive chunk of my life, so that is going to be tough saying goodbye to those people, but I’d rather do that in our own time and not have to do it in front of the cameras and what have you.
“I’m not here to advertise myself, I’m here to do the best job I can in a racing car and say goodbye to people in the right way.”
And despite months of uncertainty over where and what he will be driving in 2015, Button says he has come to terms with the situation and, having already achieved his career goals, it is Magnussen who is in the more unenviable position.
“I don’t think it’s frustrating, no. As I’ve said in many interviews, two months ago was tricky when we weren’t sure what direction the team were going to go in in terms of their driver line-up, which obviously still hasn’t been announced," Button explained.
"But now, no, I’m just enjoying my racing. It’s a different situation for me than it is my team-mate Kevin because I’ve been racing for 15 years, my dream was to win a World Championship and to be the best driver in the world at that moment in time – I did that.
“I’ve won 15 races, 50 podiums, so I’ve had a pretty awesome career. So I just take every moment as it comes. Living in the moment is something I’ve learnt to do – especially in the last year – so no, it’s not frustrating.
“I’m in a good place, I really am – and please believe me when I say that. I’m not stressed, I’m just trying to enjoy this race. It is the last race of the year, it might be my last in Formula 1, so whatever happens I want it to be a great weekend.”
