Jenson Button's F1 swansong cruelly cut short in Abu Dhabi

Jenson Button, the 2009 World Champion, said on Thursday that he thinks of the season finale as his last F1 race despite having signed a new two-year deal with McLaren focusing on "team and car development".

Jenson Button's swansong was cruelly cut short with what appeared to be a lower wishbone failure.

Jenson Button's 305th and likely final Formula One race lasted just 13 laps as he was forced to retire from the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Button, the 2009 World Champion, said on Thursday that he thinks of the season finale as his last F1 race despite having signed a new two-year deal with McLaren focusing on "team and car development".

Stoffel Vandoorne will replace the popular Briton in McLaren's driver line-up in 2017 and the Button's swansong was cruelly cut short with what appeared to be a lower wishbone failure.

"I don't think we've ever had a failure like this," Button said on team radio.

His bad luck did not prevent Button from enjoying the moment, however, with the 36-year-old standing on his car to take the plaudits of the crowd at the Yas Marina Circuit.

Speaking about the incident after his retirement, Button told Sky Sports : "Something failed, which never happens, it's a massive strength of our team, things don't fail but it did today.

"It's done, I enjoyed today massively, I enjoyed everything, I'm just sad for my fans and supporters that I wasn't able to finish. I'm happy, I'm content, I had a fantastic career."

There was better fortune for Williams' Felipe Massa in his final F1 appearance, though, the Brazilian ending his career with a points finish as he crossed the line in ninth.