Button eyeing up Ferrari move?
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| Could McLaren driver Jenson Button someday switch to Ferrari to replace Massa? |
(GMM) Jenson Button is refusing to rule out a future move to Ferrari, despite saying recently he wants to close his formula one career at McLaren.
The 31-year-old has raced at McLaren alongside Lewis Hamilton since winning the 2009 title with Brawn.
He is under contract until the end of next year and admitted in Monaco that his three target teams as a youngster were Williams, McLaren and Ferrari.
"I've got to drive for two of them, which is great, which as an eight-year-old kid I didn't expect to do.
"As a kid you are very excited about racing for the red team," he is quoted as saying by the Guardian.
"Ferrari is obviously a team I haven't raced for. I've won the world championship and I would love to win the world championship again," added Button.
The 9-time grand prix winner said recently he would like to finish his career at McLaren, but he now insists: "I don't even know what I'm doing tomorrow. I don't plan too far ahead."
With Fernando Alonso signed up through 2016, the hypothetical seat to be taken by Button is currently occupied by Felipe Massa.
Asked if he can imagine pairing with the feisty Spaniard, Button answered: "It's not teammates I'm afraid of, at all. I love the challenge of teammates.
"Everyone has strengths and weaknesses and it's interesting to work them out. But I don't know what will happen in the future."
05/27/11 Jenson Button left the door open to a surprise move to rival team Ferrari after he admitted he had always wanted to race for the team he supported growing up.
After Fernando Alonso recently signed a new deal to keep him with the Italian team until 2015, The Scuderia hinted they would have no issue with pairing the Spaniard with a world class team-mate – something that he has avoided after a tumultuous 2007 season alongside Lewis Hamilton for McLaren.
And it could be Button who is paired with Alonso after it was rumored team principal Stefano Domenicali was growing tired with the lackluster performances of Felipe Massa so far this season.
The Brazilian has been unable to match his illustrious team-mate as Ferrari struggled to match the pace of McLaren or Red Bull in 2011.
The 2009 World Champion appeared to put himself forward for the job as Massa’s replacement after revealing his love for the famous red team, and admitted he would relish the chance to race for Ferrari.
“As a kid you are very excited about racing for the red team. He said ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend. There were three teams I always wanted to race for when I was growing up, Ferrari, McLaren and Williams.
“I’ve got to drive for two of them, which is great, which as an eight-year old kid I didn’t expect to do. Ferrari is obviously a team I haven’t raced for. I’ve won the world championship and I would love to win the world championship again." He added.
Button’s deal with the Woking-based team expires at the end of 2012, while team-mate Lewis Hamilton’s current contract expires at the end of this year.