McLaren driver Jenson Button gives little away on whether he is quitting F1
Ahead of the Japan Grand Prix, Briton keeps everybody guessing as to his next move amid rumours he is retiring from racing
Britain's Jenson Button said yesterday that his sense of joy had disappeared from Formula One amid rumours the former world champion is set to retire from the sport.
Refusing to be drawn on speculation that he had failed to secure a contract extension with underperforming McLaren, Button said in Japan: "I don't like finishing 14th, I don't like finishing 10th. That's not what excites me."
The 35-year-old, who captured the world title in 2009, has endured a hugely frustrating season because of his car's unreliable Honda engine, and was forced to retire in Singapore last weekend.
There's no more information to give you, so you're going to have to wait a little longer, I'm sorry to say
"I don't think any driver has joy when they're not fighting for victories," said Button before this weekend's race in Suzuka. "That's what we're here for, that's what we love - the challenge of fighting at the front.
"There are so many possibilities of what could happen next year, so many possibilities," he added. "But I can't give you anything else really since the last race. There's no more information to give you, so you're going to have to wait a little longer, I'm sorry to say."
With McLaren in crisis, talks with team boss Ron Dennis have not progressed as hoped, raising the possibility Button could bring the curtain down on a 16-year career, which has brought him a world title, with Brawn, and 15 victories in 278 races.
