Neither Jenson Button nor Kevin Magnussen know if they're really going to stick around for McLaren next year. Fernando Alonso is rumored to be on the way, so someone's got to move. However, Button has said that he may reject a new offer from McLaren to keep him in 2015.
All of this back-and-forth as to who's going to stay on the McLaren squad for next year has shown Button all the other opportunities that are out there. Other F1 teams! Le Mans! Touring cars! Heading Chrysler's Ram division! (Okay, no, that last one is an Alonso rumor.)
But where will he go? Jenson had this to say to ESPN:
Well, it's been going on for three months now, hasn't it? Initially it was like "OK, what's that all about." It makes you think about other opportunities, other challenges - in Formula One, in other motorsports, other sports. There's so much out there and so many challenges I'm interested in taking on.
More interestingly, when asked point-blank if he plans to accept a new offer from McLaren, Button's response was, "I don't know."
So, where is Button going? Maybe he'll be underwriting Range Rover warranties for CarMax or starting the world's first carrot-based racing series. Who knows?
What we do know is that Porsche has denied that Button is joining their team in the World Endurance Championship. Then again, Audi denies that they may be headed to Formula One, too. In the crazy world of Formula One, "no" has about a 50% chance of meaning "yes."
In remarks made to Autosport, Porsche LMP1 president Fritz Enzinger said, "I know Jenson from my time at BMW and he is a good guy, but at the moment there is no contact." (Button entered Formula One in a BMW in 2000.)
Porsche will not be changing its two-car 919 LMP1 line-up for 2015. If they opt to enter a third 919 at Le Mans, the current drivers of Porsche's GT effort will have first dibs on a 919 seat. Five of those drivers tested the 919 this fall, and Porsche is expected to make the call on whether they want to enter that third car in the next few weeks.
But what about the curious case of Jenson Button? Will he take a year off, and perhaps join Porsche in 2015? Dominate hydroplane racing? Professional Power Wheels racing?
Or will Magnussen be out at McLaren instead?
Button appears to miss a chance at winning the most, and a winning car will be the deciding factor as to where he ends up. As explained to ESPN:
For me it is what it is. Am I disappointed? No. I'm disappointed I'm not in a winning car, that's what I'm disappointed about. I'm here to win. I only want to be in Formula One to win. I've been so many tough times through my career and I feel that I've given so much to the teams I've raced for, I've got a championship out of it, I've won seven grand prix with McLaren, which is awesome, I've loved working with them.
The last two years have been tough; I'm ready to win races again. If I'm not winning races next year I don't want to be in the sport anyway. I don't want to make up the numbers anymore and just pick up points; it's about winning. Especially when you've won a world championship and won races, it's such an addictive feeling. It's crazy emotions you share with your team, your friends and the fans as well. I miss that.
Decisions, decisions. All we know is that the first tests at Abu Dhabi are coming up soon, so we won't have to wait for long to find out where folks are going next year.
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