Button to McLaren

[EvilSteve]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80197

I'm not sure that this is a good idea, for either party.

[derby]

i'm not sure how i feel about this.

yeah, he's world champion, but he had a horrible last half of the season.

plus, what about some loyalty to the team that you won the championship with?

granted, i'm sure that mclaren is "satisfying his fiscal needs," but does he really think he's faster than lewis?

i predict a less than stellar 2010 season for button.

odd situation for brawn. reigning constructors championship team going into the following season with a whole new driver lineup.

on the plus side, brawn is the new factory mercedes: http://www.crash.net/f1/news/154673/1/mercedes_to_take_over_brawn_gp.html

[EvilSteve]

I'm with you on this one. Button isn't the fastest in the championship by any means and he's going from the what was the second line Mercedes team with Brawn to what will be the second line Mercedes team with...? He's putting himself in direct comparison with Hamilton who is *actually* an amazing driver. My money is on Button losing out to Hamilton definitively.

Look at the 2009 results, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Formula_One_season#Drivers, IMO Button's performance was far from convincing. The car on the other hand was amazing and I'd expect it to be as good if not better next year with increased Mercedes investment and Brawn being the excellent tactician that he is.

My guess would be Button finishing behind Hamilton and probably 5th or below in the championship.

[gm2]

i thought they were shutting down F1 completely in a fit of rule-making...?

[swampduc]

So what led to Brawn becoming the factory team, after all the history with McLaren?

[EvilSteve]

McLaren & Mercedes have been having some issues recently. From what I read, it had a lot to do with the SLR being a boat and not a performance car. It was meant to be a halo product but ended up being a super GT car. There was originally talk of creating more McLaren road cars but the two parties had a difference of opinion and McLaren went it mostly alone with the MP4-24. This was more a result than I reason I'd say. Not to mention the publicity issues McLaren had in the recent past in F1. There was also talk that Mercedes tried to buy McLaren out a little while ago but I heard that McLaren wanted some independence.

It's interesting to me that so many manufacturers are getting out of F1 and Mercedes is buying in. Plenty of car companies have come & gone from F1, except one.

I personally think that the only reason that McLaren did well at the end of this year was down to Hamilton. His input, fixes to the car design etc. Button has shown that he's incapable (IMO) of developing a car (Honda & BAR anyone?) so riding on Hamilton's coat tails may work for him. He seems to be another one of these British drivers like Hill who are incredibly fast when everything is right and the road ahead is clear but are kind of average otherwise. Hamilton does not fall into this category. He's just flat out stupid fast.

[zooom]

if he'd ever come back...I would love to hear what SP3's opinion on all this is...

[derby]

http://www.crash.net/f1/news/154756/1/button_breached_contract_says_disappointed_brawn.html

Recently-crowned F1 World Champion Jenson Button did not leave Brawn GP due to disagreements over salary, Ross Brawn and Nick Fry contend - with a breach in contract caused by his unexpected visit to McLaren-Mercedes having led to an offer of £12 million-a-year being withdrawn

[derby]

so about those raikkonen/mclaren rumors...

http://www.crash.net/f1/news/154762/1/raikkonen_could_yet_be_in_f1_in_2010__with_mercedes_gp.html

why not just go to the factory team? i hear they have a few empty seats. 

[EvilSteve]

I find it interesting that, by visiting another team factory, he was in breach of contract. This only reinforces my opinion of Button though.

I'd love to see Raikkonen at Mercedes, I'm a fan, partially because of not in spite of his cement dolphin loving, poker faced ness.

[derby]

oh well:

http://www.crash.net/f1/news/154766/1/raikkonen_rules_out_mercedes_confirms_f1_sabbatical.html

and, uh, riiiight, you "moved for the challenge..." 

http://www.crash.net/f1/news/154772/1/button_i_moved_for_the_challenge_not_the_money.html

[derby]

please please please please please..

http://www.crash.net/f1/news/154816/1/schumacher_mercedes_f1_move_is_going_to_happen.html

[superjohn]

McLaren have always needed a clear hierarchy with it's drivers and having 2 world champions hasn't really worked out well for team harmony in the past.

Hopefully Button can accept Hamilton as #1 and not be too disappointed when he's playing second fiddle.

[teddy037.2]

please please please please please..

http://www.crash.net/f1/news/154816/1/schumacher_mercedes_f1_move_is_going_to_happen.html