Editing Jenson Button (section)

====2016–2017====

[[File:Button Bahrain 2016.jpg|thumb|left|Button competing in the {{F1GP||2016 Bahrain}}]]

He was retained by the McLaren team for {{F1|2016}} following contractual discussions with Dennis and meetings with aerodynamics and engineers at the [[McLaren Technology Centre]] (MTC). Button received a 50 per cent pay rise by staying at McLaren for another year.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Johnson|first=Daniel|date=8 October 2015|title=Jenson Button denies retirement talk was a ploy to boost his salary at McLaren|work=The Daily Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/formulaone/jenson-button/11920719/Jenson-Button-denies-retirement-talk-was-a-ploy-to-boost-his-salary-at-McLaren.html|url-status=live|access-date=5 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211131326/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/formulaone/jenson-button/11920719/Jenson-Button-denies-retirement-talk-was-a-ploy-to-boost-his-salary-at-McLaren.html|archive-date=11 February 2017}}</ref> He had considered returning to the Williams team but decided against it.<ref>{{Cite web|title='Jenson Button very nearly joined Williams for 2016' – The F1 Report|url=http://www.skysports.com/f1/news/24180/10268260/jenson-button-very-nearly-joined-williams-in-2015|last=Croft|first=David|author-link=David Croft (broadcaster)|date=5 May 2016|publisher=Sky Sports|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160506041936/http://www.skysports.com/f1/news/24180/10268260/jenson-button-very-nearly-joined-williams-in-2015|archive-date=6 May 2016|access-date=5 May 2020}}</ref> His car's new Honda engine was more powerful and allowed him to challenge for points-scoring finishes but reliability continued to hinder him and McLaren.<ref name=RFBio/> He finished 15 of the 21 races that year,<ref name=RF2016>{{Cite web|title=2016 F1 season driver rankings #14: Button|url=https://www.racefans.net/2016/12/08/2016-f1-season-driver-rankings-14-button/|last=Collantine|first=Keith|date=8 December 2016|publisher=RaceFans|access-date=5 May 2020|archive-date=15 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115201116/https://www.racefans.net/2016/12/08/2016-f1-season-driver-rankings-14-button/|url-status=live}}</ref> qualifying a season-high third at the {{F1GP|2016|Austrian}}, the highest start for the McLaren-Honda partnership. Button went on to finish the race a season-high sixth.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Finnerty|first=Joe|date=8 July 2016|title=McLaren-Honda's Jenson Button targets British Grand Prix success at Silverstone|publisher=GetSurrey|url=http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/sport/other-sport/motorsport/mclaren-hondas-jenson-button-targets-11584548|url-status=live|access-date=5 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200215014759/https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/sport/other-sport/motorsport/mclaren-hondas-jenson-button-targets-11584548|archive-date=15 February 2020}}</ref> He was unable to finish higher than eighth thereafter and ended his full-time career with a suspension failure at the season-ending {{F1GP|2016|Abu Dhabi}}. Button took 15th in the Drivers' Championship with 21 points finishing better than Alonso five times and qualifying higher on four occasions.<ref name=RF2016/>

Before the {{F1GP|2016|Belgian}}, he told Dennis he planned to retire after the season.{{Sfn|Button|2017|pp=325–326}} Dennis asked Button to wait before returning for discussion to which he said he had already decided.<ref name=F1MagNov16>{{Cite journal|last=Roberts|first=James|date=November 2016|title=Jenson Button The Long Interview|journal=F1 Racing|issue=249|pages=37–43|issn=1361-4487}}</ref> He suggested Button take a sabbatical and mull over the decision to retire while resting and made Button an ambassador for McLaren.{{Sfn|Button|2017|pp=325–326}} He would work in the team's simulator at MTC, represent them at sponsor functions and attempt to help them in car development.<ref name=F1MagNov16/> Button was retained by McLaren as reserve driver with the option to return to full-time racing for the team in {{F1|2018}} if he and McLaren agreed to it.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Jenson Button turned down two offers to race in F1 for 2017|url=https://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/19386871/jenson-button-turned-two-offers-race-f1-2017|last=Saunders|first=Nate|date=15 May 2017|publisher=ESPN|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181021034221/http://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/19386871/jenson-button-turned-two-offers-race-f1-2017|archive-date=21 October 2018|access-date=5 May 2020}}</ref> He was replaced as a GPDA director by [[Romain Grosjean]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Grosjean replaces Button as GPDA director|url=https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/grosjean-replaces-button-as-gpda-director-901685/901685/|last=Noble|first=Jonathan|date=4 May 2017|publisher=[[motorsport.com]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200304173823/https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/grosjean-replaces-button-as-gpda-director-901685/901685/|archive-date=4 March 2020|access-date=7 May 2020}}</ref> In April 2017, Boullier asked Button to drive in lieu of the [[2017 Indianapolis 500|Indianapolis 500]]-bound Alonso at the {{F1GP|2017|Monaco}} and agreed after Goodard told him there was no way to get out of the commitment because he was contractually bound to drive.{{Sfn|Button|2019|pp=10–12}} He prepared in the team's simulator instead of testing in Bahrain because he would learn nothing by not driving on a narrow street circuit.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Brown|first=Oliver|date=26 May 2017|title=Jenson Button: 'I am not in Monaco to say goodbye. I am here to have fun'|work=The Daily Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/formula-1/2017/05/26/jenson-button-not-monaco-say-goodbye-have-fun/|url-status=live|access-date=5 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171117103108/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/formula-1/2017/05/26/jenson-button-not-monaco-say-goodbye-have-fun/|archive-date=17 November 2017}}</ref> He retired late in the race following a collision with Sauber driver [[Pascal Wehrlein]] that damaged his car.{{Sfn|Button|2019|pp=18–22}}

In November 2017, Button was replaced as McLaren reserve driver by [[FIA Formula 3 European Championship|2017 FIA Formula Three European]] champion [[Lando Norris]] for 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|last=de Menezes|first=Jack|date=6 November 2017|title=Lando Norris replaces Jenson Button as McLaren reserve driver with GP3 or F2 move on the horizon|work=The Independent|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/motor-racing/formula1/f1-grid-2018-lando-norris-mclaren-reserve-driver-replaces-jenson-button-f2-gp3-formula-1-a8040291.html|url-status=live|access-date=5 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200413141643/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/motor-racing/formula1/f1-grid-2018-lando-norris-mclaren-reserve-driver-replaces-jenson-button-f2-gp3-formula-1-a8040291.html|archive-date=13 April 2020}}</ref> His contract with McLaren expired without renewal at the end of 2017 allowing him to focus on other racing ventures.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Jenson Button has been 'brilliant' for McLaren, says Eric Boullier|url=https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12479/11128955/jenson-button-has-been-brilliant-for-mclaren-says-eric-boullier|last=Galloway|first=James|date=27 November 2017|publisher=Sky Sports|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200505125633/https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12479/11128955/jenson-button-has-been-brilliant-for-mclaren-says-eric-boullier|archive-date=5 May 2020|access-date=5 May 2020}}</ref>