Button denies Ferrari move link

Ian Parkes,Pa
Friday 24 June 2011 10:54 BST
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Jenson Button has ridiculed speculation linking him with Ferrari as "hilarious" and is instead planning on talks with McLaren later in the year.

The team have an option on Button for next season, one they appear certain to exercise given the relationship formed with the 31-year-old, and his performances so far this season.

Talks, however, have not started yet as Button remains focused on the forthcoming races, starting with this weekend's European Grand Prix in Valencia, although it is only a matter of time.

After further dismissing the Ferrari rumours as "not true", Button told Press Association Sport: "We haven't talked about it (the option) or sorted anything out, but that doesn't mean anything at all.

"It's not what I'm thinking about right now. We'll talk about it at a later date when we can sit down, relax and discuss the future.

"Right now we're enjoying the season and are very happy with what has been happening so far, and we're looking forward to some more good races.

"We should be very excited about the rest of the year and not think about next year too much.

"We just have to keep going racing, keep improving the car and keep fighting Sebastian."

Team-mate Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, has conceded he is hopeful of having a new contract in place with McLaren by the end of the year.

Hamilton was spotted conducting talks with Red Bull team principal Christian Horner on the Saturday of the Canadian Grand Prix.

That sparked suggestions of a move once his contract expires with McLaren at the end of next year, a claim Hamilton has described as being "blown massively out of proportion".

Instead, Hamilton is looking to remain at McLaren as he said: "I've a pretty solid contract at the moment.

"Martin (Whitmarsh) has spoken to us (Hamilton and management team XIX Entertainment) about discussing a new contract fairly soon, in the coming months.

"Definitely, hopefully, by the end of the year I'll have something in place and I can continue on, which is important to be able to do.

"Probably by the end of this year it's important to have something put in place."

From Whitmarsh's perspective, it would appear he has no intention of losing either driver.

"We are very fortunate to have two great drivers who are great in the team, enjoy being in this team and are great with one another," said Whitmarsh.

"They both want to win, and I think we've seen them racing each other and other cars to prove that.

"We'll talk about the future with them when the time comes, but at the moment we're not planning on a different driver line-up."

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