by Our Sports Desk

FOLLOWING a torrid start to the Formula One season with just two points finishes in 13 races, Jenson Button could be set to annouce his retirement from the sport as early as this week’s Japanese Grand Prix.

The 35-year-old and his beleaguered McLaren team endured their fourth double retirement of the season at Sunday’s Singapore Grand Prix, as both Button and teammate Fernando Alonso suffered gearbox failures that forced them out of the race.

It is reported that contract talks between the 2009 champion and McLaren boss Ron Dennis have stalled as the team’s clause, that provides the option of extending the driver’s contract for an addition season, runs towards its expiry date at the end of September.

Reserve driver Kevin Magnussen, who moved sideways after one season following the arrival of Alonso, and Stoffel Vandoorne, the runaway GP2 championship leader, are both contenders for Button’s seat.They would both be vastly cheaper options than the Briton, too.

Button, whose wife Jessica is Japanese, regards Sunday’s race in Suzuka as a home event.

He has been entered for 281 races in his career, a record for a British driver and a total which makes him far and away the most experienced driver involved in Formula One this season. He has won 15 races since making his F1 debut in 2000.