McLaren has announced they have furloughed most of their lower-level employees, while senior bosses and drivers will take pay cuts for this year.

The Woking-based outfit the first team to use the measure which makes staff eligible for 80 per cent of their wages to be paid by the UK government under a scheme introduced during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

CEO Zak Brown, Lando Norris, Carlos Sainz and other senior team members have not been furloughed but have accepted a pay cut to help McLaren through this difficult financial period.

"These measures are focused on protecting jobs in the short-term to ensure our employees return to full-time work as the economy recovers," a statement noted.

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Other sports team are doing the same with four Premier League football sides, including Tottenham Hotspur, also furloughing staff, though, controversially, the players are still receiving full salaries despite no matches taking place at least before May.

Meanwhile, in Italy, Ferrari is also believed to be in the process of discussing a similar plan with Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc also taking pay cuts.

Before McLaren made their announcement, 2009 F1 champion Jenson Button was asked about the possibility and believed it would be tough for some to agree.

"It is a tricky one," he told Sky Sports. "You have six or seven drivers who are earning big, big, big money.

"The rest of the grid isn’t and obviously some drivers are bringing in money through sponsors and getting paid that way, but there are a few that are earning an extreme amount of money.

"It has grown even since I was racing in F1, that’s in four or five years. It is a lot of money but it is always difficult," Button added.

"You’ve been offered this contract with this amount of money and to turn it down and say I’ll take less for the team…

"It should be happening, but it is a very different way of thinking for the drivers."