McLaren retain Jenson Button as partner for returning Fernando Alonso in 2015
Spaniard back at Woking seven years after leaving team; Button signs two-year deal; Kevin Magnussen retained as team's reserve and test driver; Ron Dennis describes Alonso-Button partnership as best in F1
Friday 12 December 2014 08:19, UK
McLaren have retained Jenson Button for 2015 with the veteran staying on to partner the returning Fernando Alonso in an all-world champion line-up.
After weeks of protracted deliberations over their driver line-up for next season, McLaren finally ended the saga on Thursday morning by announcing Button will be staying in a race seat at the expense of 2014 team-mate Kevin Magnussen. The Dane has, however, been retained as McLaren's new test and reserve driver.
"Fernando and Jenson have started a combined total of precisely 500 grands prix between them – a mighty aggregate – and have won 47 of them," declared team boss Ron Dennis. “I can safely say, therefore, that we now have by an order of magnitude the best driver line-up of any current Formula 1 team."
While Mercedes might quibble with that assessment, the Alonso and Button partnership – a vivid contrast in character and driving styles – is a mouthwatering prospect.
Following his split with Ferrari, Alonso returns to McLaren seven years after an ill-fated single campaign when his relationship with Dennis disintegrated and the team became embroiled in the ignominious and infamous Spygate scandal. Little wonder then that McLaren hashtagged their announcement as #FriendsReunited.
“I am joining this project with enormous enthusiasm and determination, knowing that it may require some time to achieve the results we are aiming for, which is no problem for me," said Alonso. "I will do everything in my power to deliver for everyone and for our team, based on a formula that has always worked for me: effort, sacrifice, perseverance and faith.
“We have time, we have hopes and we have the necessary resources. Let the legend return: that is our challenge.”
Confirmation that Button will stay on for a sixth season at McLaren and a 16th year in F1 is sure to delight the 2009 world champion’s legion of fans who for weeks have been campaigning on social media for the Briton to be handed a contract renewal.
At 33 and 34 years of age respectively, Alonso and Button will form by far the oldest partnership on the grid in 2015.
Such experience is likely to prove invaluable in the first year of McLaren’s reunion with engine suppliers Honda as the team plot a return to the front. But the veteran status of both Alonso and Button also means that Magnussen's absence from the grid may prove shortlived, although Dennis has revealed that both drivers have signed multi-year deals.
“We have both agreed that more than one year is a must,” said the Englishman. “This is a new project and an exciting project. To be part of the legendary partnership between McLaren and Honda is not a one-year thing."
While Alonso is understood to have put pen to paper several months ago, Button's retention was only rubber-stamped on Wednesday night after the 2009 title winner agreed to take a substantial pay-cut.
“Like Fernando, I am certain that McLaren and Honda will achieve great things together, and I feel sure that, working together, all of us will pull incredibly hard to create a brilliantly effective winning team," added Button. "I am very much looking forward to having a driver as fast and as experienced as Fernando as my team-mate. I am sure we will work extremely well together.”
While the Alonso
