Button excited by McLaren challenge

JENSON BUTTON is relishing the prospect of embarking on a fresh challenge after being signed by McLaren to partner fellow world champion Lewis Hamilton in a stellar all-British line-up.

McLaren yesterday confirmed the arrival of Button on a “multi-year deal”, ending weeks of speculation over the future of the 29-year-old, who wrapped up his maiden world title in Brazil last month.

Button’s move to McLaren ends his seven-year association with the Brackley-based Brawn GP outfit, whom he joined in 2003 when the team was known as BAR before establishing himself as the team’s number one driver prior to Honda’s takeover in 2006.

Honda’s subsequent withdrawal from F1 at the end of 2008 left Button’s prospects looking bleak, before the rebirth of the team under the Brawn banner gave way to one of the most remarkable stories in the sport’s history as Button romped to six race wins and the world title while the team claimed the constructors’ crown.

But while Button conceded it was a “difficult decision” to leave, he felt the lure of a new challenge was too strong to resist. “It’s always a difficult decision to leave a team when you’ve been there for so long,” said Button.

“So, although I won the World Championship with Brawn GP last year, and I’ll never forget that, I was always adamant that I wanted to continue to set myself fresh challenges.”

Button has reportedly agreed a three-year deal worth £6 million (€6.7m) a season, a figure which, if accurate, is far below what has been commanded by other world champions in recent seasons.

And McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh underlined the belief that Button’s move from Brawn was not about the money.

“I want to make clear that Jenson’s decision to join us was in no way motivated by money,” said Whitmarsh.

“We’ll be paying him no more than he could be getting elsewhere and that fact is a reflection of not only Jenson’s belief in Vodafone McLaren Mercedes but also his desire and ambition to build on the phenomenal results he achieved during the 2009 season.”

Meanwhile Kimi Raikkonen’s manager claims the Finn was McLaren’s first choice to be paired alongside Hamilton at McLaren next season – but failure to agree terms on a deal paved the way for Button to get the nod.

The Finn’s manager Steve Robertson yesterday confirmed Raikkonen would take a sabbatical from Formula One in 2010 as he is unprepared to join a team that could not mount a realistic world championship challenge.

Robertson said of the failed McLaren talks: “Kimi was definitely their first choice. We’ve had many, many meetings with them. But they realised and we realised that we couldn’t find common ground.’’