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Button cracks jokes as McLaren dithers

LONDON, England - 2014 McLaren Formula 1 driver Jenson Button, his 2015 seat still unconfirmed, has resorted to jokes about the team's farcical delay in announcing its driving team.

Fernando Alonso has been confirmed as having one seat.

"I have a new Japanese phone number," said Button, the 2009 Formula 1 champion. "Maybe that's why I haven't heard anything."

'STRANGE SITUATION'

The British veteran was at the annual Autosport awards here, as was McLaren's team boss Eric Boullier who, amid growing criticism of McLaren's dithering, said he hoped the waiting would end "within days".

Boullier said: "We all want to know as soon as possible who will be at McLaren in 2015."

Ron Dennis, the man directly responsible for the yet-unmade decision about who will be Fernando Alonso's Honda-powered team mate in 2015, was not at the event in London.

Button said: "It's a strange situation but sometimes in life you find yourself in these situations. You just have to deal with it."

Damon Hill, F1 champion in 1996, said that despite speculation about Kevin Magnussen being lined up as hot for a McLaren seat, Button should also still be in the running.

'I SUSPECT DEALS TO BE MADE'

Hill told Sky: "I'm sure McLaren is trying its best otherwise one would assume Jenson (Button) would have been told 'we can't hold on to you, do whatever you need to do'.

"Likewise, if Jenson didn't think he had a chance, he would have told the team that he was off. I suspect there are deals at McLaren that need to be finalised before any decision is announced."

Finally, 2014 Drivers' champion Lewis Hamilton admitted he was looking forward to racing his former McLaren team mate Alonso in 2015 not that he's left Ferrari.

Spanish media reports quoted Hamilton as saying: "It will be interesting to see what Fernando can do with this car."

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