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Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button will continue to race for troubled McLaren next season, team boss Ron Dennis said at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday after both drivers had raised doubts about their Formula One futures.
Asked in the Suzuka paddock whether the frustrated world champions would be staying, “Jenson has a two-year contract,” Dennis said, adding that it would remain unchanged and Button, who has hinted he could retire at the end of the season, was happy with the arrangement. “I should have taken away any doubt about our commitment to him earlier than I did,” he added. “It would have been more constructive if he had known I had no intention to exercise our option to terminate. I informed Jenson accordingly.”
Alonso said after the race that he did not know whether he would be at the Honda-powered team, partly-owned by Mumtalakat, Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund, next year. Dennis dismissed any chance of the Spaniard leaving. He said: “He has got a contract. He understands the contract. I am surprised at the comment,” he said.
In a very public humiliation for Honda at their home circuit, and with the car giant’s top bosses attending, Alonso had vented all his frustration with the underperforming engine as he laboured to 11th place. “This is embarrassing, very embarrassing,” the double champion said over the team radio.
Button, who finished 16th, had described trying to fend off other cars during the race as being like a ‘Samurai without his shield or sword’.
