user icon
icon
link-icon
<< Return to the news list
Button tips Hamilton to stay at McLaren

Button tips Hamilton to stay at McLaren

  • Published on 29 Aug 2012 13:37
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
Jenson Button has admitted he thinks Lewis Hamilton will still be his teammate in 2013. McLaren chiefs including Martin Whitmarsh have insisted they are "close" to signing a new deal with the 2008 world champion, but rumours suggest the two sides are at odds over Hamilton's right to keep his original trophies, and money.

Fellow Briton Button, who is already signed up for 2013, reportedly 'laughed' when Brazil's Totalrace asked him if he thinks Hamilton will ultimately follow suit. "Yeah, I think so," he is quoted as saying. I don't know what options he has, but Lewis entered F1 with a team that gave him opportunities to win races and fight for championships."

"He might not have the chance to be champion every year, but the team gives him the conditions to fight for victories every year, and when you have that, it's very difficult to go somewhere else and try to build a winning team. Some drivers, like myself, needed to do this (move teams), but once you're in a team like this you don't want to look back."

"I don't know what his options are," Button continued, "but I don't think it's Ferrari and nobody knows if Michael is going to be at Mercedes or not (next year). It would be a big change for him (Hamilton), but sometimes you do need a change."

For Button, it has been an up-and-down 2012 season, who after winning the opening Australian grand prix is now 6 places and 88 points behind Fernando Alonso in the drivers' standings. "The first races were good," he said, "and then I had a hard time when we tried new things for the car which I don't think were ideal."

"After some races we decided to go back to where we were. The reasons we did what we did was to try to understand the behaviour of the tyres. In some ways it was my fault for not going back earlier. I insisted on following this path. From Germany onwards things got better for us," said Button.

As for Alonso's 40-point lead in the world championship, Button said the Spaniard has done a "phenomenal job" in 2012, but warned that the situation can quickly change. "Each of the coming races will be difficult," said Button. "He could easily lose 10, 15 points to someone each time." (GMM)
F1 News Fernando Alonso Jenson Button Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Mercedes McLaren

Replies (0)

Login to reply

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2024

Pos
Team
Points
1
Red Bull Racing
195
2
Ferrari
151
3
McLaren
96
4
Mercedes
52
5
Aston Martin
40
6
Visa Cash App RB
7
7
Haas F1
5
Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia
Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
19 - Apr 21
China
Shanghai International Circuit
3 - May 5
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
Italy
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
24 - May 26
Monaco
Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
21 - Jun 23
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
28 - Jun 30
Austria
Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom
Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary
Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy
Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
18 - Oct 20
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
1 - Nov 3
Brazil
Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America
Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
Qatar
Losail International Circuit
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
Japan Circuit Suzuka
19 - Apr 21
China Shanghai International Circuit
3 - May 5
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
24 - May 26
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
Canada Gilles Villeneuve
21 - Jun 23
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
28 - Jun 30
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
Belgium Spa-Francorchamps
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit
18 - Oct 20
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
Mexico Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
1 - Nov 3
Brazil Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
Qatar Losail International Circuit
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

ES Fernando Alonso 14
  • Team Aston Martin
  • Points 533
  • Podiums 9
  • Grand Prix 149
  • Country ES
  • Date of b. Jul 29 1981 (42)
  • Place of b. Oviedo, ES
  • Weight 68 kg
  • Length 1.71 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Ferrari
Ferrari
Show full profile
show sidebar