Retained Button 'inspired' by Prost
Jenson Button says he is "absolutely raring to go" as a McLaren-Honda driver and says he was inspired by Alain Prost in the past.
McLaren announced on Thursday morning that Button would be retained alongside Fernando Alonso for 2015, with Alonso referencing his desire to emulate Ayrton Senna in driving a McLaren-Honda. For Button, he said it was Senna's team-mate Prost who he looked up to when he was younger but he believes the arrival of Alonso and Honda will result in "a brilliantly effective winning team" at McLaren.
"I am extremely excited to be embarking on my 16th year in Formula 1 and my sixth season for McLaren," Button said. "Like Fernando, I am certain that McLaren and Honda will achieve great things together, and I feel sure that, working together, all of us will pull incredibly hard to create a brilliantly effective winning team.
"I admired Ayrton Senna enormously, but, for me, it was the exploits of his McLaren-Honda team-mate Alain Prost that inspired me most as a boy. The way he stroked those beautifully brutal red-and-white cars to grand prix wins and world championships was to my mind poetry in motion, and I have tried to emulate his driving style ever since.
"Being a part of new-look McLaren-Honda is a wonderful opportunity for all of us, and I am very pleased to have been invited to do my bit. In fact, I am absolutely raring to go."
With Kevin Magnussen having lost his seat, Button said he is happy his former team-mate remains as test and reserve driver but is excited by the challenge of working with Alonso.
"I am also very glad that Kevin will remain part of the team. He is a very quick driver and a really nice guy.
"Looking forward, I know the Honda guys well, having driven Formula 1 cars powered by their engines from 2003 to 2008. I have a huge amount of respect and admiration for them, and promise to give 100% to make their partnership with McLaren a success.
"Last but far from least, I am very much looking forward to having a driver as fast and as experienced as Fernando as my team-mate. I am sure we will work extremely well together."
