Jenson Button has decided against retirement and will race for McLaren again next season, it has been announced.

The 35-year-old had been tipped to bring an end to his Formula One career at the end of the 2015 campaign.

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But McLaren revealed in a statement on Thursday morning that he would stay with the team. 

Button, who had been linked with a role on the new-look BBC motoring programme Top Gear alongside Chris Evans, has been at McLaren for six years.

But there had been a growing feeling that Button had become disillusioned with the beleaguered team’s displays in a season in which he has scored only six points from 13 races. However, talks with chairman and chief executive Ron Dennis have persuaded him to stay on.

Button said: “Over the past month or so I have done quite a lot of thinking, and it is no secret that I was at one point in two minds about my future.

“But I have been a McLaren driver for six seasons now and in that time I have got to know Ron very well.

“He and I have had some very good chats these past few weeks, and during those chats it has become clear to me that Ron is both utterly determined and uniquely equipped to lead our team through its current difficulties to great successes in the future.

“That gives me great confidence, and it is for that reason that, together, he and I have decided to continue our partnership. And, as soon as I had made that decision, straight away I realised it was the correct one.

“Okay, granted, this year has not been an easy one for us, but we know what we need to do to improve things and, in collaboration with Honda, we will work extremely hard over the next weeks and months in order to make sure that 2016 will be a much better season than 2015 has been.

“I can’t wait.”