Jenson Button has revealed for the first time he could be forced to retire from Formula One at the end of the season.
Now in his fifth year with McLaren, and 15th overall in F1, Button is in limbo as the Woking-based marque mull over their driver line-up for 2015.
With the support of Honda as power-unit supplier, it is understood the Japanese manufacturing giant are looking for a big name to spearhead their return to the sport after a seven-year hiatus.
Fernando Alonso is believed to be top of their wanted list, however, the Spaniard is contracted to Ferrari through to the end of the 2016 season.
While money is no object to Honda, it would cost £40million alone for Alonso to be bought out of the remaining two years of his deal with Ferrari, even if they are willing to let the Spaniard go.
That is before negotiations could start with Alonso on his own return to McLaren following an ignominious campaign in 2007 in the wake of a dramatic fall-out with then team principal Ron Dennis.
It resulted in Alonso departing McLaren at the end of the first year of a three-season contract.
With numerous obstacles for McLaren and Honda to clear should Alonso be targeted, it leaves Button staring at the prospect of an exit.
Now 34, and with 259 career starts behind him, Button appreciates the remaining seven races of the current campaign may be his last.
Speaking to the BBC, the 2009 world champion said: "We haven't sat down and talked about it.
"If I have to retire at the end of the season then so be it, but I feel I have so much more to give and I can't imagine life without motorsport and especially Formula One."
