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http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsp ... 363892.stm

Jenson Button has signed to drive alongside Lewis Hamilton in an all-English line-up at McLaren next season, BBC Sport has learned. The world champion's move will be announced later on Wednesday.

The confirmation follows news that former world champion Kimi Raikkonen will not race in F1 next year. The move leaves McLaren with one of the most exciting driver line-ups in F1 and Button facing arguably the toughest challenge of his career. Button's former team Brawn, who have been taken over by Mercedes, made Button an offer, but the 29-year-old did not consider it acceptable.

His switch means McLaren will be fielding the last two world champions in the same team, Hamilton having won the drivers' title in 2008. Button's preference for McLaren is not solely to do with money, according to sources. He also believes it is the best option for his career.

After a poor start to the 2009 season, McLaren came back strongly in the second half of the year, while Brawn, after dominating the first third of the season, slipped back in competitiveness as the year went on. Button's manager Richard Goddard was unavailable for comment.

Brawn emerged from the ashes of the former Honda team, after the japanese company pulled out of F1 last winter. Button took a pay cut last winter to help secure the team's future and they went on to win the world championship together in Brawn's debut season.

Now renamed Mercedes Grand Prix, the team have already signed the German Nico Rosberg as one of their drivers. His fellow German Nick Heidfeld is the favourite for the second seat.

[bud]

[McLaren]

Brittish 1-2 this year then We're fed up of just winning the title want a 1-2 now

[Gaz]

Brittish 1-2 this year then We're fed up of just winning the title want a 1-2 now

with Anthony Davidson 3rd.

[AKR]

Kimi Raikkonen in my opionion is quicker than Button. No offence to the new World Champion, but he got a good start because at the beginning of the season, his Brawn GP car was untouchable. You know what happened after that. Kimi when given a good car is fast, so assuming McLaren will be quick in 2010, then Lewis Hamilton together with Kimi Raikkonen would of been a very strong line up. But I guess if it is true that Button is weaker than Raikkonen, then given I am a Ferrari tifosa then that is better for me.

[Gaz]

Kimi Raikkonen in my opionion is quicker than Button. No offence to the new World Champion, but he got a good start because at the beginning of the season, his Brawn GP car was untouchable. You know what happened after that. Kimi when given a good car is fast, so assuming McLaren will be quick in 2010, then Lewis Hamilton together with Kimi Raikkonen would of been a very strong line up. But I guess if it is true that Button is weaker than Raikkonen, then given I am a Ferrari tifosa then that is better for me.

Not gonna disagree with you but the team have signed Button so i'll support the team and the teams drivers.

Go Hamilton, Go Button!

[AKR]

Kimi Raikkonen in my opionion is quicker than Button. No offence to the new World Champion, but he got a good start because at the beginning of the season, his Brawn GP car was untouchable. You know what happened after that. Kimi when given a good car is fast, so assuming McLaren will be quick in 2010, then Lewis Hamilton together with Kimi Raikkonen would of been a very strong line up. But I guess if it is true that Button is weaker than Raikkonen, then given I am a Ferrari tifosa then that is better for me.

Not gonna disagree with you but the team have signed Button so i'll support the team and the teams drivers.

Go Hamilton, Go Button!

Thats a true McLaren fan. That I must applaud you for. Why I say this. I know of a Ferrari fan, he hates Alonso. He still likes Ferrari but will only support Massa and would be happy to see someone else (like one of the McLaren drivers) beat Alonso if it came down to the wire. All I told him was he wasn't a true Ferrari fan. He got angry at me as if I insulted him. (I guess I did) but he brang that on himself because he should go for Alonso if he is driving the red car, just like you will support Button even if you would of preferred Raikkonen.

[Gaz]

Official statement from McLaren on signing Button
Wednesday 18th November 2009

McLaren have confirmed the signing of Jenson Button with the following statement:

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes is delighted to announce the signing of the reigning World Champion Jenson Button to a multi-year deal. He will be partnered by 2008 World Champion Lewis Hamilton, who will be embarking on his fourth consecutive season as a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver.

This unique partnership will mark:

- The first time in Formula 1 history that a team has started the new season with a line-up featuring the most recent two successive World Champions

- The first pairing of two British World Champions since Graham Hill [1962, 1968] partnered Jim Clark [1963, 1965] at Lotus in 1968

Jenson Button

2009 Formula 1 World Champion

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes car #1

"It's always a difficult decision to leave a team when you've been there for so long. But life is all about challenges - and, most important of all, it's about challenging yourself. So, although I won the World Championship with Brawn GP last year, and I'll never forget that, I was always adamant that I wanted to continue to set myself fresh challenges.

"So that's why I've decided to join Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. You can't help but be affected by this team's phenomenal history. McLaren is one of the greats of world sport, and its achievements and list of past champions read like a Who's Who of Formula 1 - Emerson Fittipaldi, James Hunt, Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Mika Hakkinen and of course my new team-mate Lewis Hamilton. I've followed the McLaren team ever since I was a small boy, and it feels unbelievable to finally be a part of it.

"When I visited the McLaren Technology Centre earlier this month, it wasn't simply the technical resources and the incredible standards of excellence that impressed me. No, I was equally struck by the ambition, the motivation and the winning spirit that flow through everybody there. And then there's the team's epic history: put it this way, the trophy cabinets seem to stretch for miles.

"From a personal point of view, it's also a great pleasure to be joining a fellow British World Champion. Lewis has achieved an incredible level of success in a very short period of time, and he's a wonderfully gifted driver who has earned the respect of every Formula 1 driver. I'm sure there's plenty that we can learn from each other, and I'm really looking forward to using our combined knowledge to push the team forward.

"Also, I think it's fantastic that we'll be forming an all-British line-up. I know that we both fly the flag with pride, and I sincerely hope we can make the whole of the United Kingdom, as well as Vodafone McLaren Mercedes fans across the world, proud. Nothing means more to me than to be able to represent my country, and I'm looking forward to both of us painting Formula 1's circuits red, white and blue for many years to come.

"While I'm fully aware that there's a tremendous amount of hard work ahead, I'm absolutely certain that Vodafone McLaren Mercedes will be able to deliver where it matters: on track. I'm already looking forward to starting work with the engineers at the McLaren Technology Centre as we begin our preparations for the 2010 season - and the defence of my world championship. This is a team that always goes racing to win, and I'm looking forward to being part of that.

"Last but very far from least, I want to say that the 2009 season will always have a special place in my memory, and I'm absolutely sure that everybody at Brawn GP who worked so hard to achieve our World Championship successes feels exactly the same way about it. Equally, I want to thank the guys at Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines, without whom we'd never have been as competitive as we were. I'm so pleased that I'll still be using their engines in 2010 and beyond.

"So I wish all my old Brawn GP mates well in their new Mercedes Grand Prix adventure, just as I hope they'll wish me well in my new Vodafone McLaren Mercedes adventure."

Lewis Hamilton

2008 Formula 1 World Champion

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes car #2

"It's fantastic news that Jenson has decided to join Vodafone McLaren Mercedes - and I'm looking forward to working with him and our engineers to make sure we kick off the 2010 season with a car that's competitive enough to win the World Championship - but I want to send my best wishes for the future to my 2008-09 team-mate and now good friend Heikki Kovalainen, who is one of the nicest human beings I've ever met.

"I already know Jenson, and we get on very well together. We both really want our team to succeed. Although we'll be pushing each other hard, I'm sure we'll very quickly establish a great working relationship. He's an exceptional driver: very controlled and very smooth, and he has a real depth of knowledge and experience. I think we'll complement each other very well, and our collaboration will make the team stronger as a result. Also, I'm delighted to be racing alongside a fellow British World Champion, and I believe we can pull together to make Vodafone McLaren Mercedes the best team on the grid.

"I'm sure Jenson has already started to appreciate our team's unique culture and the special family atmosphere that makes it such an incredible place to live and work. We really are like one big family - and I'm sure Jenson will feel the warmth of that welcome from day one.

"Obviously, as a British driver, I'm also thrilled that we'll be flying the flag for the United Kingdom, and I think today's announcement is fantastic news for all British sports fans. I hope they'll be giving us their full support when the season kicks off next March. I'm already looking forward to Silverstone - it'll be massive!

"Looking ahead, I think the results from the second half of 2009 speak for themselves, and I'm convinced we can carry that momentum through the winter and into the new season. I've been closely following the development of our 2010 challenger, the MP4-25, and I think it's going to be a state-of-the-art car that will enable both of us to consistently fight for victories."

Martin Whitmarsh

Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes

"Everybody at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes is absolutely delighted to be able to welcome Jenson to our team. It has always been our policy to employ the two very best possible drivers - and, in Jenson and Lewis, we feel we not only have the fastest pairing on the 2010 grid, but also the two most complete, professional and dedicated drivers in Formula 1.

"Moreover, I'm confident that we'll be able to successfully balance and harness Jenson's and Lewis's complementary skill-sets. Our engineers are already looking forward to working with Jenson, and I'm convinced that such a strong and dynamic driver line-up will make us an even more complete and competitive operation. Now we have to provide Jenson and Lewis with race-winning machinery.

"I want to make clear that Jenson's decision to join us was in no way motivated by money. We'll be paying him no more than he could be getting elsewhere, and that fact is a reflection of not only Jenson's belief in Vodafone McLaren Mercedes but also his desire and ambition to build on the phenomenal results he achieved during the 2009 season.

"I also want to thank Heikki for his selfless contribution over the past two years. As well as being very quick, Heikki was and remains a great character whom we'll all miss considerably. It goes without saying that we wish him all the best for next season, and would be very pleased if he were to secure a good drive for 2010.

"We're ambitious, we're motivated and we're hungrier than ever. We make no secret of our ambition for next year: Vodafone McLaren Mercedes wants to win both World Championships - and, with Jenson and Lewis, we believe we're better equipped than any other team in the pitlane to do exactly that."

Confirmed.

Welcome Jenson, and Jenson Fans!

[irons_4_ever]

wohoooo team GB

[McLaren]

wohoooo team GB

Now we just need a grand prix to watch them at

[yamashek]

My word...

Clash of

FERRARI (Alonso / Massa)

vs.

MCLAREN (Button / Hamilton)
so yes, 4 top of the top drivers...
2010 is going to be a crazy season


ps: I hope Vettel can do well in 2010, maybe as a 2010 champion

[headless]

Rather it be Kimi, but the whole of the UK is going to be 100% McLaren.
All McLaren caps, all same colours.
Shame about Kimi going.
Button should be the leader of a team, now he is a World Champion at his age, not second to a much younger person.
I'd find that a laal bit patronising.

[Robert182]

i am some what gutted about jenson joing mclaren , i just dont get what will happen button is numbr at the mo , so he will want to be driving the team forward , but mclaren is lewis's team ( if you get me) so he is not gonna sit back and play 2nd fiddle to jenson ? i see alonso and hamilton all over again to be honest show him how they do it in the pro's lewis but at least mcalren will have the number 1 again on its car:) and will win the tittle if jenson does have pace with out a brawn

[Robert182]

but mclaren are my team so i guess il have to be happy GO LEWIS , go jenson

[headless]

"He's fast, he's small, he overtakes them all"
Rob.
All F1 drivers are small, and driving is speeds excess of 200mph.