Button could've driven for Ferrari: 'I was probably better off at McLaren'

Most drivers can't say 'no' when Ferrari shows an interest in them, even if it's a bit less of a team effort. Carlos Sainz is the latest example of this, but there have been many well-known drivers who have been interested in Ferrari, including names you wouldn't expect.

One of them is Jenson Button. The 2009 World Champion tells Motorsport News that he was once close to a deal with the Scuderia. "Every driver would like to race for Ferrari one day. There is just something about that team. I had a good chance of that about eight years ago, but it didn't happen then."

Ferrari wanted experienced driver next to Alonso

So that was around 2013. Felipe Massa was replaced for the following season and at Ferrari they finally opted for Kimi Raikkonen. The Italians obviously wanted a man with experience, so the choice for Jenson Button wouldn't even have been that crazy.

The driver market at that time and Button's career had looked quite different. Button says in the interview himself that he was probably better off at McLaren, but that is debatable. McLaren fell into a black hole and hasn't won a race since 2012. Ferrari did so with Sebastian Vettel in 2015.