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Jenson Button insists that Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be his final Formula One race.
That is despite the fact that he has two years left on his McLaren contract and the team has an option for his services for 2018.
"I go into this weekend thinking it is going to be my last race," he said. "That is the best way to be at this moment of time."
"Beyond this, I don't want to be racing in F1 - that is the whole idea," he added. "I think of this as my last race and hopefully everyone else does."
Despite McLaren's insistence that there was a possibility that Button could return to the cockpit, the 2009 world champion said that a return was never on his mind.
"Nothing has changed, I am just going into this race thinking it is my last," he said. "I don't want to go in thinking it isn't my last and [then it turns out] it is my last."
"It is true I have a contract for 2018 but at this moment in time I am not going to be racing in 2018," he added. "The whole idea about having a contract is that in three months' time, when I have eaten myself stupid and am thinking of things to do in the future, maybe I realise I need F1 back in my life."
"But in this moment of time that isn't the case," he continued. "So this is my last race, that is how I think about it at the moment."
"Who knows, this could change in six to eight months or one year."
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C. Sainz jr
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I suspected as much. A real pity, but I respect his decision and hope he'll be happy with it.