Asked to clarify what would count as “the right situation”, Button replied “in the right team, if that ever came along, the right opportunity to race in LMP1” but he declined to comment on whether a Porsche offer for 2016 would appeal.
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Button, 35, is set to quit Formula One at the end of the season after enduring a hard year towards the back of the grid with team-mate Fernando Alonso.
“There are so many possibilities about what could happen next year”, said Button. Over the past year we’ve got a lot closer as a team. We were second in the Constructors’ so pretty special year. The president of Honda was there. It’s about the possibility of standing on top of the podium.
The 2009 world champion has been the primary focus coming into the Japanese Grand Prix after reports suggested he would be announcing his retirement from F1 at Honda’s home circuit of Suzuka.
But Neale conceded McLaren has to “respect” a driver’s decision if he doesn’t want to stay.
But even McLaren director Jonathan Neale admitted that delving into such advances with an unwilling participant would be an exercise in futility.
‘Jenson is a fantastic guy, a world champion and a big part of our family at Honda and McLaren for six seasons, ‘ Neale said after Friday’s wet practice sessions.
“If your driver doesn’t really want to be in the seat we have to respect that”, he stated, adding, “I really hope that we have done enough between us to continue those discussions with him and have the confidence to have him with us, and that’s what we’d like”. Instead, Jenson forecast a time when the Japanese manufacturer would once again dominate the pinnacle of motor racing, albeit in his absence.
Button has been coy on his future in recent days, notably in an anticlimactic press conference on Thursday, but it seems clear that he has made a decision to call time on his career after 16 seasons in the sport. We hope that we can have a good weekend.
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There’s nothing more painful hearing a former companion wish you well as they sever ties.
