McLaren could unite Lewis Hamilton & Jenson Button

British motorsport fans will be salivating today at the prospect of a Formula 1 super-team next season which unites the last two world champions, Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton. McLaren, Hamilton's current employer, refused to rule out signing the world champion elect Button when asked by the Daily Mail yesterday.

Team principal Martin Whitmarsh told the newspaper: "We've talked to a number of drivers. It wouldn't be appropriate to say more than that. We'll hire the two best drivers available to us as we always have." It's difficult to surmise from that how Button, who won the title by finishing fifth in the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos, Sao Paulo, on Sunday, could not be considered one of the "best drivers available".

Despite his stunning success with Brawn in the team's debut season, Button has yet to sign a contract for next year and beyond with the Brackley-based outfit. He took a 50 per cent pay-cut after previous team Honda pulled out of motor racing and team bosses Ross Brawn and Nick Fry saved the team by creating Brawn GP in March 2009, and his new status will guarantee him a considerably higher salary than the £4m a year he currently receives.

McLaren are also a team on the up, after a disastrous start to the season. Hamilton, still world champion until after next Saturday's Abu Dhabi GP, picked up just 10 points from the first nine races of the season, but has taken 39 in the last seven, including two wins and three podium places.

However, whether either of the drivers would appreciate racing with the other remains to be seen. They profess to having a mutual respect, although they once had a rather ridiculous spat after Button challenged the McLaren man to race a triathlon against him. Historically, superteams have also never fared well, as egos have clashed about who is the team's lead driver.