Yeah, right. You were probably looking at the Official Bikini Thread, and it wasn't Coke on the monitor.
JB is a fool if this is true, and neither Nick Fry nor Ross have struck me as the kind to speak something other than the truth. Clearly doesn't sound like he was told to leave by MB. Fry: Money not issue in Button departure Brawn GP chief executive officer Nick Fry is adamant that Jenson Button's move to McLaren was not prompted by the financial terms offered by his team. Fry believes that the deal Button has signed with McLaren could be worth less money than was on the table to remain with the rebranded Mercedes Grand Prix team next year. He insists that press reports of the amount offered to Button by the team are significantly short of the actual figure. "I don't think that it was a financial issue," Fry told AUTOSPORT. "We understand that our offer to Jenson may well have been in excess of what he might be getting with McLaren. "We are disappointed that Jenson has decided to leave because we did make what we thought was a very generous offer for a new contract which was significantly in excess of the frankly spurious figures that were put out to the press over the past week or so." Fry added that the team was still keen to proceed with further contract negotiations over the past week, but that Button's management seemed uninterested in talks when approached in recent days. "It was clear to us that things were going seriously astray as of Sunday night or Monday morning," said Fry. "Unfortunately, over the last week there has been very little dialogue with Jenson's management team despite the fact that we have made overtures to have further discussions. But they didn't seem particularly keen, presumably because they were set on the McLaren route." Many pundits, including three times world champion Jackie Stewart, expect Button to struggle against Lewis Hamilton at McLaren. Fry also suspects that will be the case and while he did not simply expect Button to stay with team through loyalty, he does not understand the logic behind the choice. "I respect his decision," said Fry. "It's not one that I would have made and maybe he has been poorly advised. "Clearly, loyalty would be nice but in this day and age you don't expect too much of that. I'm always happy when any employee leaves our company if I think that they've made the right decision and they are going to a better job and they always go with our blessing if that is the situation. "In this situation, we don't understand the logic of the decision and I think Jenson is going to have to up his game if he's going to beat Lewis on home territory." Despite losing Button to McLaren, Fry insists he does not regret delaying contract negotiations until the end of the season in the belief that it would have distracted both team and driver from their main aim of winning the drivers' and constructors' championships. "Unfortunately we were between a rock and a hard place on this," Fry told AUTOSPORT. "Ideally the discussions should have been completed before the end of the season, but because of the way that the championship was going in the latter part of the season, the last thing we wanted was to distract the driver with contract negotiations. "That was the right decision because there was enough going on on the racing side to fully occupy us and him without having the burden of contract discussions on top of that." Q. How close were you to reaching a deal? You say that it's not over money, but was it as simple as Jenson was asking for x and you couldn't meet it? NF: It can't have been as simple as that because we believe that our offer was in excess of what he has accepted from McLaren and Jenson has indicated to me personally that may well be the case.
IMO I think Ross has yet again boxed clever, and make it seem as if it was JB's decision to leave. Haug wants a all German driver line up for some bizzare reason... so Ross obliged. And no doubt has got the deal of the century. Not bad from a guy that started out as a mechanic.
Andreas, it looks like our Kimi/McLaren vs Fernando/Ferrari bet is officially off. Any ideas for a replacement?
That'd plausible if McLaren were paying JB more than Brawn. It's not unlikely that the JB dream team created the rumor that MB told him get to lost. He's going to get tossed around like a $1 mexican hooker at mclaren.
Maybe.. Here is some of his thoughts:: Its always a difficult decision to leave a team when youve been there for so long. But life is all about challenges and, most important of all, its about challenging yourself. So, although I won the World Championship with Brawn GP last year, and Ill never forget that, I was always adamant that I wanted to continue to set myself fresh challenges. So thats why Ive decided to join Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. You cant help but be affected by this teams phenomenal history. McLaren is one of the greats of world sport, and its achievements and list of past champions read like a Whos Who of Formula 1 Emerson Fittipaldi, James Hunt, Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Mika Hakkinen and of course my new team-mate Lewis Hamilton. Ive followed the McLaren team ever since I was a small boy, and it feels unbelievable to finally be a part of it. When I visited the McLaren Technology Centre earlier this month, it wasnt simply the technical resources and the incredible standards of excellence that impressed me. No, I was equally struck by the ambition, the motivation and the winning spirit that flow through everybody there. And then theres the teams epic history: put it this way, the trophy cabinets seem to stretch for miles. From a personal point of view, its also a great pleasure to be joining a fellow British World Champion. Lewis has achieved an incredible level of success in a very short period of time, and hes a wonderfully gifted driver who has earned the respect of every Formula 1 driver. Im sure theres plenty that we can learn from each other, and Im really looking forward to using our combined knowledge to push the team forward. Also, I think its fantastic that well be forming an all-British line-up. I know that we both fly the flag with pride, and I sincerely hope we can make the whole of the United Kingdom, as well as Vodafone McLaren Mercedes fans across the world, proud. Nothing means more to me than to be able to represent my country, and Im looking forward to both of us painting Formula 1s circuits red, white and blue for many years to come. While Im fully aware that theres a tremendous amount of hard work ahead, Im absolutely certain that Vodafone McLaren Mercedes will be able to deliver where it matters: on track. Im already looking forward to starting work with the engineers at the McLaren Technology Centre as we begin our preparations for the 2010 season and the defence of my world championship. This is a team that always goes racing to win, and Im looking forward to being part of that. Last but very far from least, I want to say that the 2009 season will always have a special place in my memory, and Im absolutely sure that everybody at Brawn GP who worked so hard to achieve our World Championship successes feels exactly the same way about it. Equally, I want to thank the guys at Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines, without whom wed never have been as competitive as we were. Im so pleased that Ill still be using their engines in 2010 and beyond. So I wish all my old Brawn GP mates well in their new Mercedes Grand Prix adventure, just as I hope theyll wish me well in my new Vodafone McLaren Mercedes adventure.
I can't wait to buy matching McLaren Jenson Button and McLaren Lewis Hamilton hats at whatever race I go to next year
An "all German" driver line-up wouldn't make sense in a team based in Britain and run by Brits!! I don't think either that Mercedes cares about the nationality of the drivers. Just look at its line-up in DTM. Hardly any German! Since it isn't a matter of money, I suspect that Button wanted a say in who would be the other driver, and Brawn didn't accept that. Button was over-shaddowed many times by Barichello this year... and may have asked for some sort of 'team orders'.
He left Brawn because he wanted a non-threatening #2 and went to drive with Hamilton? Am I missing something here?
You're right. And it may even be the opposite. Sounds like he actually wants the challenge so he can silence those who said he wasn't a worthy champ. But if Hami crushes him next year...
I thought it was common knowledge Haug wanted a German driving at Mclaren, part of the reason they have parted company with Mclaren, and have invested in Brawn is because Haug can do this. A 40% share in Mclaren didn't give Merc enough say on how things are done there. And please give up with the Button thing, over shadowed my arse Button won it end off.
JB simply went to drive for the team that showed the most strength in the last half of the season. CH
I don't think that is plausible... Button has never been a prima donna. Also, as mentioned, he went off to McLaren, not the place to be if he wanted to be sure of a subservient #2 backing him up It is being reported on other sites that Eddie Jordan claims that his insider info is that Button was released from Brawn when MB bought into the team. In other words, MB told Button they would not be employing him in MB/Brawn for 2010, and to look for employment elsewhere. Which means... what is MB thinking? It seems strange they would ditch JB unless the other person they were getting was REALLLLLY good. I also don't think Button was overshadowed by Rubens this year. There were a few times when Rubens did better, but there were a lot of times that Button did better. Overall, there was only a space of maybe 1 or 2 races where Rubens was seriously considered a WDC contender, and it was only when Button was having a very off few races.
True, but Hammy has to be careful as his reputation already took some damage this year, and if he starts to whine and disobey orders to Button's detriment, Hammy could make himself look pretty bad, even with the polished corporate machine image he conveys. If Button's experience and driving style do keep him ahead or on par with Hammy, Button's good reputation will be held in higher regard by the British fans than Hamilton's.
I think there's real truth to that. The guy is taking on a huge challenge in joining Hamilton's team but our collective cynicism is too quick in calling it foolish. The fact is, the guy thrives on challenge and wants the best car he can get. Between Mercedes/Brawn, which relied on a technical head-start to triumph this season, and McLaren, which innovated its way out of the hole, he opted for the latter for his future. Personally, I think the decision he made to go head-on with Lewis Hamilton -- a bona fide phenom -- shows a lot of what he's made of.
latest update on the Button thing.....(only just over a month but still...) Carol Jenson Button will be blocked from doing any work for his new team McLaren before the end of the year by his current employer Brawn, AUTOSPORT can reveal. The Mercedes-Benz owned team has Button under contract to the end of 2009, and although in similar cases squads have sometimes released departing drivers to their new teams early by mutual consent, his current employer has no intention of doing so. Button's current contract expires on December 31, and although he will be free to work with McLaren once that date has passed, Brawn will be "rigorously enforcing" his contract until that time. "Jenson will not be doing anything at all for McLaren until the end of this calendar year," Brawn chief executive officer Nick Fry told AUTOSPORT. "And if he does, we will be looking on it very dimly. "He didn't have any obligations to us for 2010, but there are issues with regards to the signing process on which we are in discussion with him at the moment. "There are clear constraints on what Jenson can do between now and the end of the year, which we will be rigorously enforcing."
Ermm as I have posted else where Mclaren better get on with building there own engine, seems to me there special relationship is getting very strained.
wonder if there will be a cat fight between the women challenging each other just as the drivers will be challenging one another??? meowwwww hissssss meowwwww Carol
It's fight between the drivers, their Dad's, and their girlfriends! There won't be room for a car in the McLaren garage as it'll be full of cameramen! On a more serious note I have heard from a number of sources that McLaren are starting work very quickly on making their own engines as the relationship between them and Mercedes has soured very quickly. Most people think it unlikely that McLaren will still be Mercedes-powered in 2011.
Hamilton will make him look like an amatuer. Button will be whining about unequal treatment by the third race. He should have known going in that McLaren is Lewis' team, regardless of who the reigning world champ is in 2010.
