It's Official - McLaren keeps Jenson Button for 2015 alongside a returning Fernando Alonso, while Kevin Magnussen demoted to test-driver

It was confirmed on Thursday (11/12/14) that McLaren will have an all-champion line-up of Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button will drive for the team next season, with Kevin Magnussen retained as test and reserve driver.



This will be the first time that Alonso returning to McLaren since joining them for a season in 2007, were he claimed four wins but departed for Renault after a season in which he and the team fell out after becoming embroiled in the 'Spygate' scandal.



Meanwhile Button remains with McLaren for the sixth season while Kevin Magnussen, who raced for the team in 2014, will act as the team's official test and reserve driver with a more than likely that he will do some Friday Practice sessions next season with the team.



In my opinion, this is the right decision for McLaren next season to retain Jenson Button, and to rehire Fernando Alonso. Next season with the return to Honda with the all new Honda power unit, experience is the right answer for that season then focus on the season after focus on youth.

With Alonso, it will be another gamble to drive for McLaren again, after the 'Spygate' scandal which he was involved and cost McLaren in a $ 100 million fine from the FIA. I think this time around its a more of a grown up Alonso, which may help McLaren better this time round.

Keeping Button will be right thing with his past experience with Honda back in the mid 2000s, also his marketability of bringing in sponsorship to the team has helped him getting the drive at McLaren.



Also, I feel sorry for Kevin Magnussen, did a fantastic job finishing in second place finish in his debut race at Melbourne, and he was as fast in some races as his much experience team-mate Jenson Button. Just bad luck with no drives around the grid; and with no option for 2015, Magnussen will be demoted as a test and reserve driver for McLaren next season. Maybe a third car may happen in 2015 if we loss more teams he may get a drive. But, I guess he will have another opportunity to race for McLaren in 2016.



Now we have Button and Alonso in the team, we have Honda turbo engines once again with McLaren. We may once again have a McLaren Honda domination once again in Formula 1, time will tell if that happens.



End of post for now, new post soon. Bye.