McLaren driver Jenson Button has revealed he will not be competing in Formula One next season.
The 2009 world champion, who has participated in 17 consecutive seasons, has stepped down at McLaren and been replaced by their reserve driver Stoffel Vandoorne.
McLaren, however, do have an option to re-sign the British driver in 2018. Here, Press Association Sport looks back - season by season - at his career in grand prix racing.
2000
Plucked from relative obscurity, Button was handed a race seat with Williams as a fresh-faced 20-year old. Partnered alongside Ralf Schumacher, he enjoyed a credible season, but was shipped out on a two-year loan to Benetton following the arrival of Juan Pablo Montoya.
Points: 12 (8th)
2001
After a strong debut season, Button struggled at Benetton. He was out-performed by team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella all year and was dubbed a 'playboy' by team boss Flavio Briatore for his off-track lifestyle.
Points: 2 (17th)
2002
Button bounced back in the following campaign and largely got the better of new team-mate Jarno Trulli. It was announced midway through the season, however, that he would make way for Fernando Alonso, whom Briatore had snapped up from Minardi.
Points: 14 (7th)
2003
Button penned a two-year deal with British American Racing and teamed up with Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 world champion. Villeneuve compared Button to a "member of a boy band", but Button was more than a match for the Canadian. He was forced to miss the Monaco Grand Prix after suffering a 185mph shunt in practice.
Points: 17 (9th)
2004
On track, Button enjoyed his best season to date, earning the first podium of his career after he finished third at the Malaysian Grand Prix. But away from the cockpit he was involved in a messy contract dispute after he signed for Williams but wanted to stay at BAR.
Points: 85 (3rd)
2005
A difficult start to the year for Button whose team were banned for two races and stripped of points in San Marino following a fuel tank irregularity. He ended the season well, with two podiums, but for the second straight year he was caught up in yet more controversy after signing a two-year deal with Williams but opting to remain at BAR. The team were forced to pay Williams a reported £18m in compensation in order for Button to stay.
Points: 37 (9th)
2006
Honda had bought out BAR and Button claimed the first win of his career at the Hungarian Grand Prix with a masterful display. In the remaining six races of the season, Button claimed more points than any other driver.
Points: 56 (6th)
2 007
Button described the 2007 campaign as a "total disaster". He struggled in a largely disappointing Honda and, with Lewis Hamilton enjoying a breakthrough season, was quickly becoming Britain's forgotten F1 man.
Points: 6 (15th)
2008
The next campaign was even more miserable for Button, scoring points at only one race - a sixth place in Spain. His future in the sport also appeared in grave danger after Honda announced their decision to withdraw from Formula One.
Points 3 (18th)
2009
Sensationally Button returned from the brink to win the world championship. It was the stuff of fairytales as Ross Brawn completed a buyout of Honda at the 11th hour and Button won six of the opening seven races. He sealed the title at the penultimate race in Brazil after he crossed the line in fifth.
Points: 95 (1st)
2010
A big-money move to the might of McLaren followed and he formed a tantalising all-British line-up alongside Hamilton. He won two of the opening four races in Australia and then China, and was a contender for the title until the penultimate race of the season
Points: 214 (5th)
2011
Button followed up an impressive debut year at McLaren with arguably his greatest season in the sport. Button had the beating of team-mate Hamilton all year, and was comfortably the best of the rest behind Sebastian Vettel in a superior Red Bull. He won three times, including a memorable victory in Canada, and was offered a move to join Vettel at Red Bull as well as a lucrative switch to Ferrari. He opted, however, to sign a new deal at McLaren.
Points: 270 (2nd)
2012
Button won the season opener in Australia and later led every lap en route to victory in Belgium. His win at the season-ending race in Brazil was both his and McLaren's last triumph. With Hamilton now off to join Mercedes, Button could boast to have out-scored his team-mate in the three years they spent together at McLaren.
Points: 108 (5th)
2013
Button, joined by Sergio Perez, endured a difficult season for McLaren. Neither he, nor his team-mate, finished on the podium in one race.
Points: 73 (9th)
2014
Button teamed up with rookie Kevin Magnussen, but endured an equally frustrating season. He spent much of the latter part of the campaign fighting for his career, but it was eventually announced in December that he would be retained for the 2015 season to partner Fernando Alonso.
Points: 126 (8th)
2015
Despite the promise of their renewed relationship with Honda, McLaren were woefully off the pace last year. Button scored only 16 points, but decided to stay with McLaren for another season.
Points: 16 (16th)
2016
While McLaren have shown some sign of improvement this season, the British team are still considerably off the pace of the sport's front-runners. Button has scored 15 points - the highlight of which was a sixth place in Austria - and is currently a lowly 15th in the championship.
Source: PA
