Brawn against Button McLaren switch

Ross Brawn believes that Jenson Button's future in Formula 1 would be best served by staying at the team that helped make him a title winner, rather than make the switch to rival McLaren.
Despite mounting speculation that Button is close to signing a contract to join McLaren, having agreed terms with the Woking-based team, Brawn is adamant about where the world champion should drive in 2010.
"Negotiations [with Button] are continuing and the reports that he has already agreed terms with McLaren are not helpful. I would be amazed if that were the case," Brawn told The Independent newspaper.
"His best future is with our team, where he has a good group around him, and there's a lot to be said for that. The logical thing would be for him to stay with us, but of course logic doesn't always prevail."
Talks between Button and Brawn stalled after the two parties could not agree financial terms for a new deal - with Button's camp adamant that he deserved a wages hike after taking a £5 million pay cut for this year.
But with Brawn's finances tight, even following its takeover by Mercedes-Benz, the team and driver could not agree on a figure before McLaren entered the equation.
Brawn CEO Nick Fry told Radio 5 earlier this week that his team would not get involved in an auction for Button's services.
"We've had discussions with Jenson on what we think is a sensible salary and this is not going to change anything," Fry said about the impact of the team becoming Mercedes Grand Prix. "We're running with a budget that is probably less than most and that's what Mercedes likes."
McLaren appears set on finalising a deal with Button, having broken off talks with Kimi Raikkonen about a deal for 2010 - which has left the Finn facing a sabbatical next year.
Mercedes GP will run Nico Rosberg in one of its cars next season, with speculation having linked Nick Heidfeld with the other seat should Button jump ship.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80188
 
  • Andrew Evans

button does have a history of jumping ship for ze greener grass....

the whole williams -> honda -> williams -> honda merry-go-round....
 
why should he stay somewhere that wont meet his demands which are super reasonable seeing as he is world champion, if Brawn wanted him that much then they'd have given him what he wanted a long time ago.
 
Please.... all of you would have done the same thing... $2millions in 1 place and $6millions in the other (just making up numbers here)... Hummm.... Let me think:)
 
Please.... all of you would have done the same thing... $2millions in 1 place and $6millions in the other (just making up numbers here)... Hummm.... Let me think:)

It was £3m from brawn for 1 year deal and £6m per year from Mclaren on a 3 year deal.

So it was £3m v. £18m

Or in dollars $5m v. $30m.

I more than expect Mclaren to produce a better car than the now merc team next season.
 
Digressing slightly:-

I wouldn't be so sure about the McLaren for next year. A lot of work they have done to make the 2009 car competitive will be wasted when the KERS system is removed. The KERS papered over a lot of cracks in their base chassis design and while I do think that McLaren will be in a much better position come round 1 than they were in 2009, it's by no means for sure. Cars like the RBR and Brawn that ran all year without KERS are in a much better position as their aero work and base chassis design will be proven and they have a good head start in terms of performance data sans KERS.

Of course McLaren, and Ferrari for that matter, will throw a lot of resources into catching up over the winter. Indeed Ferrari may already have done a lot when they ceased development of the 2009 car earlier in the year. They haven't wasted time chasing down blind alleys for a bit of pride like McLaren did, work that may be of little use to the Woking boys as I reckon the chassis will be fairly removed from the 2009 one.

I'm very patriotic, especially when it comes to F1 and like to see British drivers and British teams do well. So I hope very much to be proven totally wrong, in fact I'd be delighted to see a McLaren 1-2 at Melbourne next year but I wouldn't place any money on it, that's all I'm saying.

Digressing even further:-

The 2010 season looks set to be one of the best in recent years, if you ask me. And that's saying something when the last three championships have come down to the wire. A strong driver line up at both Ferrari and McLaren with four drivers who all have something to prove, a stable Brawn team with no doubt a German or two at the wheel and an established pairing at RBR, things are going to be very interesting indeed. Add to that some new faces and old faces in new seats and the recipe is complete, bring on the spring of Twenty Ten.
 

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