Jenson Button has vowed to enjoy this weekend’s Abu Dhabi season finale

Two weeks ago when he clinched the title in Brazil, the Briton admitted to enduring months of stress, but his first reward is a race at the impressive Yas Marina Circuit with his lifelong dream already secure.

“It’s been a while since I’ve jumped into an F1 car and not felt stressed or a little bit under pressure,” he said, before going second quickest in opening practice on Friday afternoon behind the reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton.

“The last time I wasn’t thinking about the championship was my final race (for Honda) in 2008,” Button added.

The session, with Sebastian Vettel and Rubens Barrichello respectively third and fourth quickest as they tussle for second in the championship, was watched on by the likes of Michael Schumacher and the injured Felipe Massa and Timo Glock.

The latter Toyota driver told reporters earlier on Friday that he is likely to be with a new employer in 2010.

Glock, 27, seemed to play down speculation he is close to a Renault deal, amid speculation he is also in talks with Sauber, some of the new teams, and possibly even McLaren.

“Maybe there will be a surprise within a week or two that nobody (in the media) has been talking about,” said the German.

Christian Horner has expressed surprise

Two weeks after he clinched the world championship, Jenson Button is still on the market for a team to drive for in 2010. Horner is boss of the Red Bull team, whose Sebastian Vettel was beaten to the drivers’ title by 29-year-old Button last time out in Brazil.

Briton Button and Brawn are at odds over the size of his retainer for next year, which has reportedly sparked the interest of the McLaren team.

McLaren was earlier thought keen to snap up the available Kimi Raikkonen, but the Finn’s asking price is at least double the amount Button is demanding from his reluctant Brawn chiefs.

“I just find it staggering he’s won the world championship and had a brilliant year and he hasn’t been signed up for next year,” Horner told BBC television on Friday when asked about Button’s contract standoff.

“If I was Brawn, I’d get off the fence pretty quickly because he’s a pretty attractive proposition.  I wouldn’t hang about too long if I were them,” he added.

source: GMM