McLaren driver Jenson Button has denied claims from Mercedes non-executive director Niki Lauda that he does not want to retire from racing and that doubts about his future are to do with a money dispute with McLaren chairman Ron Dennis.
The British racer claimed last week that he only wants to drive for his current team and that he would retire altogether if he was not offered an extension on his current deal.
However, after McLaren managing director Jonathan Neale insisted on Friday that they want the 2009 world champion to stay on, Button refuted Lauda's suggestions, saying that he has not had a conversation with the 66-year-old.
"The second one is not true," Button told BBC Sport, referring to the money claims.
"The first one [about not wanting to retire] - I never understand him anyway. I think I said yes being friendly, but we didn't really have a conversation as such.
"It is nice that he has gone to the media and said that, though."
Button, who finished 16th in the standings in qualifying for this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix, has a contract with McLaren to drive for them in 2016 unless they activate an option to release him by September 30.
Tom Nightingale
