McLaren to 'refresh' driver line-up?

LONDON, England - McLaren's race director Eric Boullier admits that the team is looking to "refresh" its driver line-up.

Danish rookie Kevin Magnussen made his debut in 2014 and Sergio Perez, now at Force India, had a single-season with McLaren before he was ousted at the end of 2013.

It is rumoured that, ahead of the start of its Honda partnership in 2015, McLaren is seeking a top driver to spearhead the project, such as former team racers Fernando Alonso or Lewis Hamilton, or quadruple World champion Sebastian Vettel.

'TRY HARDER'

Magnussen said: "I can only do my best and hope that is good enough. Anyone at McLaren should feel that you have to deliver to your best to deserve to be there and that goes for me and Jenson as well."

It is believed that if McLaren does oust its current drivers to make way for a newcomer, it would be the Jenson Button (34), who is out of contract.

McLaren supremo Ron Dennis made waves recently when he urged Button to "try harder".

Team boss Boullier is quoted by Britain's Mirror newspaper: "Jenson knows the important thing is to score as many points as he can. He doesn't have to prove anything as he is a World champion and has won many races for McLaren.

"We need to be realistic as well, because in one, two, three years we may need to refresh our driver lineup and obviously we will be seeking the best drivers at that moment in time."

For his part, Button - the second-oldest driver in F1 but even more experienced than Kimi Raikkonen - insists he intends to stay on the grid for a sixteenth consecutive season in 2015.

Button said: "Right now, my interest is to race in F1. In F1 the emotions are all over the place - it is highs, it is lows. I have lived my life like that for a long time and I want to continue my life like that.

"I am young and fast and enjoy what I do for a living, and I don't want that to change."