Brawn accepts Button's decision to join McLaren

The decision for Jenson Button to leave for the McLaren team is to be accepted says Ross Brawn. The team principal of the Mercedes GP team, formerly Brawn GP, admits that his teams financial offers were greater than McLaren's, but in the end the total package of the latter's offer was more appealing to the 2009 Drivers Champion.

Button spent seven seasons with the Brackley based outfit, with the team going through three name changes while he was there.

"His decision is disappointing because we worked so well together. But whatever is said, it was not about the money. In the end our offer was even more attractive than McLaren's," Brawn told Germany's 'Auto Motor und Sport'.

"But it doesn't make sense to employ a driver who would not be happy and sees a bigger challenge somewhere else. Further negotiations would have been pointless."

"Jenson obviously wanted to be in the same car against Lewis Hamilton. That's brave and I have to respect it," he added lastly.

McLaren will field the two most recent world champions whereas Mercedes GP currently only have Nico Rosberg on their drivers list as their other race seat is still unannounced.