British racing driver, Jenson Button, has officially announced his retirement from Formula One after the Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi, the last race of the season.
“I approach this weekend thinking that this is my last race,” said the McLaren driver, in a press conference. “As of today, I have no desire to drive an F1 -delà race “ . This will be his 305th F1 Grand Prix since the first in Australia in early 2000, in a Williams BMW engine.
“I think it’s the best thing to do,” added Button, explaining: “It is 28 years that I am in motorsports, it’s been a long journey …” “I have amazing memories some life-changing, some good, some bad, and leave with a title that is also something special. I will definitely leave F1 happy that I accomplished, after 300 races. My life really begins now, “ added the Englishman.
Initially, Button, crowned in 2009 in a Brawn, had announced that he stand down in 2017 at the young Belgian Stoffel Vandoorne, reserve driver. He planned to become “ambassador” of the English team, doing some shopping of GT and rallycross. The assumption was that he could possibly return in 2018, the current contract with McLaren of Fernando Alonso, the double world champion Spanish, maturing end of 2017.
A breath of fresh wind of into F1 with the recent arrival of Max Verstappen and the young Frenchman Esteban Ocon, 19, and soon Lance Stroll, 18, who will hold the next year at Williams. Another veteran pilot retires Sunday night in the glow of floodlights Abu Dhabi: Brazilian Felipe Massa (Williams), 35, who will be making the 250th start in F1.
