2016 McLaren F1 Team - Honda

[SameSame]

Yes, new tires. They put on a set SS with one Q lap on them.
They even lost a place with this stunt.

He did it on Soft tyres not SS.

Alonso did fastest lap on used Super Softs mate. Check your facts

The fastest lap graphic showed softs when he set it but he did use SS.

[Vasconia]

With Button being third driver next year, it looks to me like Ron Dennis still doesn't trust Alonso completely and that was also the main reason to keep Jenson on the past two years.

It has sense to me. I am a Little bit surprised to see Jenson accepting this situation but who knows...

Anyway I dont see Jenson coming back in 2018. I would be more logic to find another young and talented driver.

[adrianjordan]

I wonder whether there's a thought in Ron's mind as well that, with how vocal he's been about the current formula and seeing what the new cars are like, maybe Alonso might even throw in the towel before the season starts next year...having Jenson there as your fall-back is a very nice option if that happens!!

[diffuser]

I wonder whether there's a thought in Ron's mind as well that, with how vocal he's been about the current formula and seeing what the new cars are like, maybe Alonso might even throw in the towel before the season starts next year...having Jenson there as your fall-back is a very nice option if that happens!!

Not sure why you'd even pondure something like that.

[diffuser]

With Button being third driver next year, it looks to me like Ron Dennis still doesn't trust Alonso completely and that was also the main reason to keep Jenson on the past two years.

It has sense to me. I am a Little bit surprised to see Jenson accepting this situation but who knows...

Anyway I dont see Jenson coming back in 2018. I would be more logic to find another young and talented driver.

Yeah, I don't either. Not sure why he didn't go over to Williams.

[Jolle]

With Button being third driver next year, it looks to me like Ron Dennis still doesn't trust Alonso completely and that was also the main reason to keep Jenson on the past two years.

It has sense to me. I am a Little bit surprised to see Jenson accepting this situation but who knows...

Anyway I dont see Jenson coming back in 2018. I would be more logic to find another young and talented driver.

Yeah, I don't either. Not sure why he didn't go over to Williams.

Well, Williams would have been a career ending move, just like Barichello and Massa before him plus average pay, no real chance of some sporting success and lots of sponsor meetings.
Now he's in a fairly good position with probably good money (and almost no sponsor appearances) to slip into a fairly good works seat in 2018, maybe even 2017 (better then when as a driver for Williams anyway).
Don't forget there will be a lot of possible movement in the works seats in 2018 and 2019, with Alonso, Vettel and Raikkonen's contract ending next year and Rosberg and Hamiltons the year that follows. And who knows how Renault might develop the coming two seasons.

It's all eyes on a works seat for Button.

[The_table]

They could always "pull a Perez" on Vandoorne ...
ie: Fire him and replace him with Button after one year if he's not good enough.

[Jolle]

Another good reason for McLaren to keep Button "on the bench" like this, is as a leverage against Alonso, when they go into contract discussions. Because a team as McLaren-Honda (for the name and sponsors) need a big name as their star driver and only Vettel is the only real option available for 2018 (the rest is under contract), besides Alonso of course.

FA: I want 40 mln for 2018 or I quit the sport
RD: nah, I'll give you 10, else Button got you're seat

So, keeping Button is a cost saving move

[Redragon]

Another good reason for McLaren to keep Button "on the bench" like this, is as a leverage against Alonso, when they go into contract discussions. Because a team as McLaren-Honda (for the name and sponsors) need a big name as their star driver and only Vettel is the only real option available for 2018 (the rest is under contract), besides Alonso of course.

FA: I want 40 mln for 2018 or I quit the sport
RD: nah, I'll give you 10, else Button got you're seat

So, keeping Button is a cost saving move

It is Honda who wants Alonso and is paying Alonso. So it is Honda who will be discussing the next Alonso salary no Mclaren

[Jolle]

Another good reason for McLaren to keep Button "on the bench" like this, is as a leverage against Alonso, when they go into contract discussions. Because a team as McLaren-Honda (for the name and sponsors) need a big name as their star driver and only Vettel is the only real option available for 2018 (the rest is under contract), besides Alonso of course.

FA: I want 40 mln for 2018 or I quit the sport
RD: nah, I'll give you 10, else Button got you're seat

So, keeping Button is a cost saving move

It is Honda who wants Alonso and is paying Alonso. So it is Honda who will be discussing the next Alonso salary no Mclaren

Then it's Dennis = Honda. Same kind of leverage

[Redragon]

Another good reason for McLaren to keep Button "on the bench" like this, is as a leverage against Alonso, when they go into contract discussions. Because a team as McLaren-Honda (for the name and sponsors) need a big name as their star driver and only Vettel is the only real option available for 2018 (the rest is under contract), besides Alonso of course.

FA: I want 40 mln for 2018 or I quit the sport
RD: nah, I'll give you 10, else Button got you're seat

So, keeping Button is a cost saving move

It is Honda who wants Alonso and is paying Alonso. So it is Honda who will be discussing the next Alonso salary no Mclaren

Then it's Dennis = Honda. Same kind of leverage

No but in the case of Alonso he is not deciding, as it was Honda who wanted Alonso and is paying for him as much as Dennis probably didn't want at first, money shut your pride. And if Alo decides to continue and increase his salary and Honda is happy with that and paying for that, Dennis will be playing happy chap as until now

[GoranF1]

Another good reason for McLaren to keep Button "on the bench" like this, is as a leverage against Alonso, when they go into contract discussions. Because a team as McLaren-Honda (for the name and sponsors) need a big name as their star driver and only Vettel is the only real option available for 2018 (the rest is under contract), besides Alonso of course.

FA: I want 40 mln for 2018 or I quit the sport
RD: nah, I'll give you 10, else Button got you're seat

So, keeping Button is a cost saving move

Honda: ok, use Briggs&Straton PU then, we move to Redbull....

[diffuser]

None of that makes sense to me....I mean how much are they paying Button not to drive?

It has to be more than what Williams would have paid him too drive.

All that to just save a few more millions that FA may ask for?

Like someone said above...they're not even paying FA's salary.

I don't buy FA leaving at the end of his contract. He came to McLaren to race at the back of the grid for 2 years just to leave when the car starts to get competitive ???

[SR71]

Another good reason for McLaren to keep Button "on the bench" like this, is as a leverage against Alonso, when they go into contract discussions. Because a team as McLaren-Honda (for the name and sponsors) need a big name as their star driver and only Vettel is the only real option available for 2018 (the rest is under contract), besides Alonso of course.

FA: I want 40 mln for 2018 or I quit the sport
RD: nah, I'll give you 10, else Button got you're seat

So, keeping Button is a cost saving move

It is Honda who wants Alonso and is paying Alonso. So it is Honda who will be discussing the next Alonso salary no Mclaren

Source or unconfirmed rumor?

[Vasconia]

I think it was long ago confirmed that Honda was paying Alonso, if not the 100% a great percetange of it. Honda wanted a driver like Alonso and they showed interest from the very first moment.

I am quite sure that Button wont make a comeback. His new job is somekind of a semi-retirement. He is "old" and I dont see him returning in 2018 unless something extraordinary happens and McLaren has no more interesting changes to complete its line-up.