Jenson Button retained by McLaren-Honda for the 2016 season

It was announced this morning that Jenson Button will remain with McLaren for the 2016 Formula 1 season following successful talks with group CEO Ron Dennis in recent weeks.

Button had been tipped to announce his retirement from the sport last week, but confirmed ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix that he remained engaged in “good talks” with McLaren about his future.

Dennis informed Button on the Thursday of Suzuka that the team would be passing on its option to terminate his contract, paving the way for negotiations about 2016.

In a statement issued this morning, McLaren-Honda confirmed that Button would be remaining with the team for 2016, extending his F1 career into a 17th season as follows:-

'Over the past month or so I have done quite a lot of thinking, and it is no secret that I was at one point in two minds about my future.

'But I have been a McLaren driver for six seasons now, and in that time I have got to know Ron very well. He and I have had some very good chats these past few weeks, and during those chats it has become clear to me that Ron is both utterly determined and uniquely equipped to lead our team through its current difficulties to great successes in the future.

'That gives me great confidence, and it is for that reason that, together, he and I have decided to continue our partnership; and, as soon as I had made that decision, straight away I realised it was the correct one.

'Okay, granted, this year has not been an easy one for us, but we know what we need to do to improve things and, in collaboration with Honda, we will work extremely hard over the next weeks and months in order to make sure that 2016 will be a much better season than 2015 has been. I can't wait!'

Even though Button has had to field questions regarding his future, that can now stop as he is more than happy to remain with the McLaren-Honda team for next season. It is clear that having some chats with Ron has helped clarify the situation within the team and also with Button himself and he has confidence in the partnership between each other and believes staying in the best option for him and his career at the moment.

You can tell that Button is happy with the decision that he has made and he is looking forward to getting on with the task at hand and ensuring that the team and himself work towards getting the success that they want as quickly as possible and like many fans would want them to achieve as well given their past history together.

In his own statement to the media this morning, Dennis was also pleased to announce that Button would be staying at Woking for 2016, believing that the news would act as a huge boost to all at McLaren after a difficult season. Dennis stated the following:-

'Jenson and I have been discussing his plans in private for the past few weeks, and the fact that our talks have led to today's announcement is very pleasing to both of us and will delight and motivate all at McLaren-Honda.

'As I have made clear whenever I have been asked about the subject, Jenson's current contract is of two years' duration. There is a 'terminate after year one' option that McLaren could have triggered if we had wished to do so, but, once it became clear from my many conversations with Jenson that he remained as enthusiastic and as committed and as focused as ever, that option immediately became an irrelevance.

'That being the case, Jenson will race for McLaren-Honda next year, under the terms and conditions as set out in the two-year contract that both parties entered into a year ago.

'As I say, I am extremely pleased. Jenson is the most experienced driver currently racing in Formula 1, and next season he is due to become only the third driver [after Rubens Barrichello and Michael Schumacher] in Formula 1 history to pass the milestone of 300 Grands Prix.

'But, although that wealth of experience makes him a massively valuable asset to our team, hugely expert in all aspects of the 21st-century Formula 1 driver's craft, he is also supremely fit and as super-fast as ever.'

It is clear that Dennis is happy to announce as well as Button that both will remain working together for next season. I have to say that Dennis has remained confident that he would retain Button and that he would remain within the team, especially given the fact that Jenson had the contract in place.

Dennis is also happy that Button remains his confident self as a driver and also as a person which has also helped matters; even if this season hasn't been the best for them. Alongside this, his experience with the McLaren team and also with Honda will also prove very handy as both sides look to improve for next year and beyond.

With his future now decided Button need to work on the problems that they have and ensure that they get into the best possible shape for the 2016 season and hopefully this will translate into the best results on the track. The road might be long for all parties, but I firmly believe that they will get there eventually and boy am I pleased that Button is retained by McLaren for next season.

Button deserves to be at McLaren next season and even if he decided to move on, I would have understood why and would have supported any choice he would have made. But as today has confirmed, Button still has the hunger, the passion, desire and motivation to achieve success in Formula One and if McLaren still want him, then he should be in F1 without a shadow of a doubt and deserves to leave the sport he has loyally served with the success that we know Button and more importantly McLaren and Honda are capable of.

Sarah Jones- @jonesy_laaa