Button may have a contract for 2018 but says replacing Alonso is a Monaco one-off; "I don't want to be racing in F1 for a whole season"; 37-year-old Briton claims to have had two full-time offers for 2017
Monday 29 May 2017 08:33, UK
Jenson Button has played down a 2018 return to the Formula 1 grid, insisting he is only replacing Fernando Alonso in Monaco as a "one-off".
With Alonso escaping McLaren-Honda's current malaise to compete at the Indianapolis 500, Button is taking time out of what is expected to be a full-time retirement for F1's blue riband event.
But while the 37-year-old Briton claims he is enjoying life away from the sport and that his return will be short lived, it is he who has a McLaren contract for next season, rather than Alonso.
The Spaniard has warned he is likely to leave at the end of the year if the Woking team fail to provide proof they can be race winners in the future.
However, in an interview with Sky Sports F1's Ted Kravitz ahead of his Monaco return, Button maintained his time in F1 is up.
"Of course when the chance came to race in Monaco I was going to take it," Button, who is set to take part in his 306th F1 race, said. "I don't want to be racing in F1 for a whole season because I've done my time in F1.
"I've loved most of my career but it was time for me to have a break. To come back for the Monaco GP - that is just the dream."
Button is eager to make the most of his time back in the McLaren garage, vowing to be "larger than life" once the weekend action begins.
That is despite the fact he is stepping into a team without a 2017 championship point, with Stoffel Vandoorne and Alonso struggling in an MCL32 which seems incapable of competing with F1's elite due to Honda's persistent engine woes.
"It's a one-off race where I'm going to have fun," he added. "Abu Dhabi was the end of my F1 career, really. It was a very emotional and special weekend. Monaco is very different, it's a one-off."
The deal that saw Button take a step back was agreed back in September last year, signed off by Ron Dennis who has since been ousted as the team's long-serving boss.
However, though Button waved goodbye to the sport six months ago in Abu Dhabi, he has also revealed that he was contacted earlier this year by two teams wanting him to race for them this season.
"I had so many options to race this year it is hilarious," Button told PA. "That even went into this year with two different teams asking me to race. I have no interest in doing that."
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