Jenson Button excited by prospect of leading McLaren in 2013

The former world champion will be joined by the relatively inexperienced Sergio Perez at the Woking-based team next year - which means there will be more reliance on Button to head up car development this winter.

But rather than be unsettled by the prospect of having a new team-mate in 2013, Button believes the change of situation will be a huge boost to him - and will even help make him better.

"It is always exciting having new team-mates," he said in Korea. "You always learn something from someone, even if they are inexperienced.

"It is always interesting to see how they read data and their style of driving. He [Perez] is obviously not as experienced as Lewis [Hamilton], and Lewis has been here [at McLaren] a lot longer than I have, so I suppose you do lose a little bit.

"But I am not worried. I feel I can set up a car with my engineers pretty well, and I like pressure on us to perform, I like that feeling.

"I have had that through most of my career at BAR and Honda, and it is something I enjoy - and something I am looking forward to."

Button is also well aware that the departure of Hamilton means that he will now be central to the work this winter on the 2013 contender.

"It is better for me going forward to the end of the year for next year's car, yes," he said.