Jenson Button is a 'wanted' F1 race driver

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ANI Wellington
Last Updated : Nov 01 2014 | 2:36 PM IST

British driver Jenson Button is reportedly a wanted Formula One driver even if McLaren has ultimately decided that they do not want to retain the 2009 world champion for next season.

Button's manager Richard Goddard said that he is getting phone calls from everyone because he is an exceptional driver, adding that he's still in his prime, everyone wants to hire him and he is a wanted individual.

Goddard said that he has had loads of different approaches from loads of different sports, driving of course as his tennis isn't up to much, Stuff.co.nz reported.

But, he added that they haven't got any serious conversations, talking about different levels of where they are, where they are going to be. He said that obviously they would like to stay in Formula One, and to stay driving for McLaren, but maybe there would come a point when they get offered something and it's a great opportunity, a great place to be.

Button's future is the subject of much speculation, with McLaren strongly linked to Ferrari's double world champion Fernando Alonso.

McLaren are switching to Honda engines next season and Alonso is seen as the number one target to lead the new partnership on the track despite falling out with McLaren boss Ron Dennis when he last drove for the team in 2007.

Goddard said that the team had told him they were in a 'holding pattern' and no decision had been made about their 2015 lineup with the future of Danish rookie Kevin Magnussen equally up in the air.

Speculations are rife that Button could be headed out of Formula One and into sportscar racing, something the Briton did not rule out.

Button said that anything is possible in life if one has the right circumstances or the right situation, but added that that has to be there to make it happen. He said that he had felt under massive pressure before the Japanese Grand Prix but since Russia earlier this month he had just focused on enjoying his driving and was far happier.

The Briton has been at McLaren since 2010, the year after he won his championship with Brawn. Eight of his 15 race wins have been with the team, the last coming in Brazil two years ago, the report added.

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First Published: Nov 01 2014 | 2:23 PM IST

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