For months now, there has been speculation as to where Jenson Button might find a berth next year. Rumour has it that Renault are considering dumping the Englishman in favour of their current test driver, Spain’s Fernando Alonso.

Button was at this weekend’s Goodwood Festival of Speed and said he was keeping his options open. However, he denied stories that one way he could stay at Renault next year was by agreeing to a pay cut. "It’s all speculation," he said, showing a mastery of stating the obvious. "But a wage cut is not one of the options."

Technically, Button is 'on loan' to Renault and still under contract to Williams, but with the Grove-based team’s driver line-up unlikely to change next year, that part of the equation is unlikely to affect the final outcome of what happens to the young English star.