Jenson Button signs new 'multi-year' contract with McLaren

Irish Sun (ANI) Wednesday 5th October, 2011

British Formula One driver Jenson Button has signed a new 'multi-year' contract with McLaren.

Despite warnings, notably from three-time world champion Sir Jackie Strewart who said Button was entering "a Lions' Den" at McLaren alongside Ron Dennis protege Lewis Hamilton, the Somerset-born driver has won four grands prix and is currently on course to become the first of Hamilton's team mates to beat him over the course of a F1 season.

Heading to Japan this weekend, Button leads the 2008 world champion by 17 points and is in the form of his life, The Telegraph reports.

The 31 year-old is also the only man who can still prevent Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel from claiming his second successive drivers' title although he would need to win all five remaining races and hope that Vettel does not score in any of them.

"I've never felt more at home at a team than I do at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. I've won four of the greatest races of my life here, I'm currently lying second in the drivers' world championship, and I feel that I'm driving better than ever," Button said.

"You can only achieve that with the right level of support - and I truly believe that the passion and determination to win are stronger here at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes than anywhere else. As a grand prix driver, those are incredibly powerful feelings to share and be part of, and they've only reinforced my desire to commit my long-term future to this team. I've made no secret of my ambition to continue winning races and world championships, and I fully believe this is the place where I can achieve those aims," he added.

It is still unclear how many years Button has signed for and whether his estimated six million pounds per year salary has risen or fallen. (ANI)