APRIL 13, 2017

Button not only option to replace Alonso

Jenson Button appears in pole position to step in and contest next month's Monaco grand prix for McLaren.

Jenson Button appears in pole position to step in and contest next month's Monaco grand prix for McLaren.

It comes after the British team and Fernando Alonso shocked the motor racing world on Wednesday by announcing that the Spaniard will race a McLaren-Honda entry at the fabled Indy 500.

The oval race coincides with F1's equally fabled Monaco grand prix, and recently retired Button - who has a McLaren contract this year - seems the obvious choice to replace Alonso.

But McLaren executive Zak Brown on Wednesday admitted he doesn't know if the 2009 world champion has even driven the 2017 car in McLaren's simulator.

And the 37-year-old driver also cheekily played down the speculation, writing "Why do I have so many missed calls?" on his Twitter.

Germany's Auto Motor und Sport said McLaren-Honda juniors Lando Norris and Nobuharu Matsushita might also be in the running.

"We have a good idea of who to put in the car, and we will make a decision no later than the end of the month," said Brown. "Possibly earlier.

"The conversations are running and we have different options."

(GMM)