McLaren celebrated their 50th anniversary this week and Button said that the
Woking team were far more passionate and driven than people gave them credit
for.
“From the outside you think McLaren is very regimented, and there is no heart
and no soul,” he said. “But when you’re actually in the team you realise
that it’s the complete opposite.
“They are very passionate people. When you have a bad season like this,
that is when it really comes out. It either breaks you or it makes you
stronger as a team. I definitely feel we are not broken.”
Button is still waiting for McLaren to take up their option on his services
for 2014. While he was coy on whether that was the reason for the delay, it
is understood negotiations over extending his McLaren career beyond next
year have not begun and will be separate from his one-year extension.
What Button did say was that he was not worried that the team might suddenly
move for another big name, such as their former driver, Kimi Raikkonen, who
has still not committed himself to Lotus
for 2014.
“From what [McLaren team principal] Martin Whitmarsh has said Kimi is not here
next year,” said Button, who added that while his chances of a win this
season were “remote”, he was confident that McLaren would be back in
championship contention next year.
“You have three teams [Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes]
who are still fighting for the championship and they are going to push right
the way to the end of the season,” he said. “Whereas for us, we are
concentrating more on next year’s car. So we are limiting how much we can
move forward this season.
“But I want to succeed next year. I don’t want to wait another few years. I
think we do have the right people on board.
“We can win the championship next year with Mercedes-Benz. It is still a very
good partnership with them. And it would be nice to go out on a high.
“And then 2015 [when Honda arrive] is a very exciting challenge for the
whole team.”