Britain's 2009 world champion Jenson Button has signed a new multi-year contract with McLaren, the Formula One team announced Wednesday. The announcement came ahead of Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, with Button the only driver still standing between Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel and a second successive championship. Vettel needs just one point to clinch the title while Button must win to have even a glimmer of a hope of staying in contention with four more races to come after Japan. McLaren said in a statement that retaining Button's services for the next few years would strengthen the Woking-based team's long-term stability. Lewis Hamilton, the 2008 world champion, already has a contract with the team to the end of next season. “I've never felt more at home at a team than I do at... McLaren,” said Button, who won his title with Brawn GP – the former Honda team now racing as Mercedes. McLaren gave no details about the deal, other than saying it was multi-year, but the length of time will end paddock speculation about a possible move by the Briton to glamor team Ferrari for 2013. Hamilton, who risks finishing second behind a team mate in the championship for the first time, welcomed the ‘great news'. “Jenson has been a great person to work with and a genuine team player, from the moment we welcomed him on board (in 2010),” he said. “Jenson and I are as hungry and as ambitious as ever to win races and world championships in the future.”
