McLaren 'intends' to keep Button

McLaren holds an option on Button next season, but it also has dominant GP2 leader Vandoorne and its 2014 grand prix racer Magnussen on its books still.

Alonso currently has a multi-year deal, and McLaren racing director Eric Boullier said at Monza on Friday that McLaren's plan was to retain Button rather than promoting one of its proteges in his place.

"As far as we are concerned, McLaren have only two cars, only two race seats and we have two world champions and we do intend to keep them so far," he said.

But he believes McLaren will make effort to place Vandoorne and Magnussen with other teams.

"We expect the four of them to race [in 2016]," Boullier said. "It's a luxury problem to have four good drivers.

"Kevin and Stoffel are very good. Both of them we expect to race in Formula 1 and if we can't fit or accommodate them we will do our best to make sure they can race next year."

Boullier recently told AUTOSPORT the often-mooted prospect of Honda establishing a 'B-team' for McLaren's young drivers could only happen if it was not "a distraction", while Magnussen has declared that he could not contemplate another year on the sidelines.

The Dane finished second on his grand prix debut with McLaren in Australia last year, but was dropped at the end of the season to make space for Alonso's return.