Lewis Hamilton urges McLaren chief Ron Dennis to retain Jenson Button Lewis Hamilton has called his on old friend Ron Dennis to make the "smart decision" and retain Jenson Button, a driver he regards with star quality. Button heads into Formula One's off-season still unsure whether his 15-year career in the sport is over or if he will be handed a new contract by McLaren. Dennis, the McLaren Group chief executive, has confirmed the situation will not be resolved until after a board meeting in early December. It leaves 34-year-old Button and his team-mate Kevin Magnussen in limbo until Dennis and his fellow shareholders deliberate over who should partner the returning Fernando Alonso from next season. Hamilton, fresh from clinching his second Formula One title in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, is in no doubt his former team-mate Button should be snapped up by Dennis. Hamilton said: "Jenson's been in Formula One for a long time, he's had an exceptional career, and he's still young. On Sunday he drove incredibly well to bring a McLaren up to fifth, and with a great driver [Magnussen] alongside him who wasn't able to do the same with the same car. I guess it just highlights how limited Formula One is. There are only 18 or 20 seats. But he [Button] has proven time and again he is still a worthy competitor and a valuable asset for any team to have. I've known Ron for a long, long time and he is passionate about racing. I'm sure he'll make the smart decision, and for me, building a team to target being champions you need to have star quality drivers. There are only a handful of those and Jenson's one of them. Button, meanwhile, is the latest to hail Hamilton "a worthy winner" of this season's championship, and firmly believes he could make it three next year given Mercedes" dominance is expected to continue in 2015. "One world championship is enough for any racing driver, but to win two is out of this world," said Button. So very well done to him. I know Lewis pretty well, the driver and the man he is as we worked for three years together. I am very happy for him, I really am. He is a lovely guy and a very straightforward individual, even if it does not always come across like that, and he has done a great job. For next year, I am sure Mercedes are going to have an unbelievable package again. If Williams can qualify a little better then they have a chance of winning races, but I don't know if they can carry that across. As for Red Bull, I don't think they will remain as they are and I am sure they will up their game. But Mercedes have taken their time to get the right people, a hell of a lot of people, and they have spent a fortune. They have a massive team, they've won one championship, and now everything is in place for them to win another, so it will be tough for everyone else to beat them.