Alonso made it clear on Thursday that the uncompetitive level of his McLaren made his decision to miss the Monaco Grand Prix in favour of racing at the Indy 500 a straightforward one.
McLaren announced earlier in the week that the Spaniard, a double world champion, would miss the May 28 Monaco Grand Prix to compete at The Brickyard in the biggest event in US open-wheel racing.
McLaren racing director Eric Boullier, who offered Button the one-off return, is "truly delighted" the 2009 world champion will be back in the vehicle for the sixth round of the championship.
Speaking ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix, Ecclestone was quoted by ESPN as saying: "I would have said wait until your contract finishes and then you can do what you like but you are in the middle of Formula One and you are a Formula One driver".
The British driver, who treated last year's final race in Abu Dhabi as the last of his 17-season career, will team up with Belgian Stoffel Vandoorne for McLaren at the Monte Carlo race on May 28.
Button has scored points on each of his last four Monaco appearances, with the low-speed, twisty track again likely to offer McLaren's best early-season chance of a stronger result amid their latest hard start to the season with Honda.
"On the planes, I will try and look at some videos and races from past years and try to learn as quick as I can", said Alonso.
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"I think it s great that a driver is able to do that", Hamilton said of two-time champion Spaniard Alonso s switch to the Indianapolis 500, instead of the Monaco Grand Prix, next month.
For Alonso, who last stood on the top step of the podium in his home race in Spain in 2013, racing in the Indy 500 will hopefully give him the chance to return to the front of the field and contend for victory. With the same team it's a win-win situation.
"I rang him and we discussed it and his first reaction was just "great, I'm so excited", the McLaren racing director said.
McLaren are back in the Indianapolis 500 for the first time in 38 years with Alonso's entry, a Dallara DW12 chassis run by Andretti Autosport. McLaren and Honda are working on rebuilding their 2017-model vehicle but there is no guarantee it will be any more competitive than their current effort. "I think it s pretty cool that he s doing it".
Renault's Nico Hulkenberg, a Le Mans victor when that sportscar race did not clash with anything, said his situation had been completely different to Alonso's at McLaren.
"I still think he is one of the best drivers, his calibre is very high, and he is experienced".
"I hope Jenson comes back, it would be great for F1", Hamilton said of his former team-mate.
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