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Jenson Button has revealed that he very nearly joined Williams for the 2017 season before deciding to take a year out of racing. The Brit remains under contract with McLaren-Honda until the end of 2018, and will supposedly take up a race seat if one becomes available at the team.
In 2016, Button was heavily linked with a return to the Grove-based team, where the 37-year-old began his F1 career back in 2000. However, he signed on with McLaren but would not be racing full-time in 2017.
"I’ve almost re-joined Williams three times or four times, so I spoke to Williams about racing this year, a couple of times," he admitted. "I spoke to them last year and I spoke to them this year as well, but it’s a great team but just for me it was time."
Button did make a race appearance this year when Fernando Alonso skipped the Monaco Grand Prix to compete in the Indy 500. Button came in to replace the Spaniard but ultimately retired from the race after he collided with Pascal Wehrlein.
With Williams' 2017 driver situation in the unknown, there are suggestions that the team could go back for Button. However, the 2009 world champion has made it very clear that he does not wish to race in F1 again after doing so every year for 17 years.
Fergal Walsh
Grand Prix of Belgium
G. Zhou
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f1fan0101
Posts: 1,804
Would love to see him back, Williams certainly don't seem to be jumping on keeping Massa