McLaren boss Eric Boullier admits the team is likely to retain Jenson Button alongside Fernando Alonso next season.

Both drivers have contracts, but with Kevin Magnussen and Stoffel Vandoorne waiting in the wings, not to mention Button's (understandable) unhappiness with the (current) package, the Woking team is not in a position to finalise its plans.

That said, having left the Briton hanging on until mid-December before confirming him for this season, Boullier insists the team will not leave him in limbo again this time around.

"There is obviously a date for the option on Jenson and we know that we will not wait for the end of the year this time,” he told the official F1 website.

"So far we intend to keep both the drivers we have," he added, "but I am not the only one to decide. For Kevin and Stoffel we will do the maximum that we can for them to race in F1."

Popular with fans and sponsors, McLaren will need to think long and hard about Button, though in recent weeks he has looked increasingly weary of the never-ending litany of failures, and might therefore pre-empt a move by the team and quit.

Speaking at the weekend, the Briton was giving little away. "That is something we need to discuss away from the circuit," he told reporters.

However, recalling last winter's agonising wait on the team's decision, he added: "It's always in your hands. Hopefully in the next few weeks we can decide either way."