Button backs Webber over handling of Porsche news

While his own team boss is angry with Mark Webber, Jenson Button has backed the Australian for the manner in which his F1 retirement announcement was handled.

Webber caught Red Bull boss Christian Horner off guard on Thursday morning when the 36-year-old driver gave him only an hour’s notice before Porsche announced Webber is heading back to Le Mans in 2014 and beyond.

Horner admitted he was "disappointed" with the handling of the announcement.

But McLaren driver Button, who is one of Webber’s closest friends in the paddock, sided with the 36-year-old.

"From what I have heard," Button is quoted by Sun newspaper, "Mark has done everything right."

Button said announcements like the Webber/Porsche one are difficult in the modern era, because if he had let his team on the factory floor know first, it surely would have leaked onto Twitter.

Webber alluded to that on Thursday, saying: "It wouldn’t have been an announcement then, would it?"

Button agreed: "From what he’s said, the team owner (Dietrich Mateschitz) knew and he also told the team five minutes before the announcement was made.

"He is a great talent and had a good career. He is always outspoken and maybe there are not enough of those characters within the sport," he added.