Contract dispute could see Button leave Brawn

[John S]

It looks like there may be a bigger merrygoround amongst the drivers for next season than expected.  Maybe Jens to Macca and potentialy Rosberg and Kimi to Brawn. Wow big changes all round.

PlanetF1,Today.
 
Jenson Button's future at Brawn GP is on the line after the team reportedly failed to offer him the sort of salary worthy of a Formula One World Champion.

Button signed with Brawn GP at the start of this year's Championship after Ross Brawn bought the outfit from Honda in an 11th hour deal. As part of his own deal with Brawn, Button agreed to cut his salary from an estimated £8million to £3m for this season.

The general belief, though, according to his manager Richard Goddard, was that if things went well, Button would have a hefty pay rise for the 2010 Championship.

And despite the Brit standing on the brink of securing his first-ever F1 World title, such an offer has not been forthcoming from Brawn.

Goddard told Sportsmail: "When we signed the revised contract last year, we did so in the knowledge that if things went well for the team, they would go well for Jenson for next year.

"We are not being greedy by looking to get what they are paid. All we expect is for Jenson to be paid on the scale that he was last year before Honda left."

The lack of funds coming from Brawn could result in Button leaving the team as the 29-year-old's stock in the paddock has risen this year, making him a viable option for other outfits such as McLaren.

[Scott]

Button is not yet world champion.  This time last year he had only won one race in his entire career.  He has not earned a 'World Champion Wage', and from a team as lean as Brawn, he should not expect one.  He has far too often chased the mighty dollar, and it is the primary reason he has had the record going into this season that he did.  Rosberg will be happy to take over his seat for a fraction of what he is probably demanding.  

As for taking a cut in wages for this season, better he doesn't forget that in fact he was lucky to have a seat at all this year - had Ross not saved the team and decided to keep him on, there were very few options available to Button.  He could well have sat out this season, and as a result never been the title contender he is now and have had started with a much lower negotiating point for next season.  

Sorry, I have little respect for Button's economical leanings.  Since most of the seats are taken next year (or will be as soon as today's hearing is over and Renault announce their intentions), he will find it hard to get anything better than a midfield seat next year if he walks away from Brawn's offer.  To top it off, although he might be happy to move to Renault should they stay and now that Flavio is gone, he might end up looking at Dave Richards on the other side of the negotiating table, the man he helped boot out of Honda.  Seriously Button, if you walk away from Brawn, you might have to go knocking at Force India...and I hear both their seats are taken.  He's burned so many bridges in F1 (Williams as well don't forget), he has very few choices left.  

[romephius]

Personally I would love to see Button sidelined by Brawn for the remainder of the season or possibly even fire him just for being a money grubbing SOB.  I HATE Button in the very real sense of the phrase.... I've never rated him and I never will, neither as a driver or a human being. 

I know some people will say he's proved himself, but, I say, he's just been lucky to be in the right team at the right time when they have the best car... nothing more, it's not his skill that keeps him up front.

I'm sorry if this is overly aggresive, and I mean no offence to anyone with my opinion but this is the very realy emotion I feel about the little brown stain on society.

Rom 

P.s. And Scotty, your spot on in saying he should count his blessings that he's still on the grid, not the penny's he 'THINKS' he's entitled to.



ok rant over from me

[Scott]

No need to sideline him - he's getting Button at a bargain price for the moment...however there is also no need to rush to re-sign him.  Drivers are clambouring to get onboard a Brawn.  I'd send Button's management packing to go look for a drive elsewhere and then re-open negotiations in a month or two when they find nothing better - but warn them that the offer on the table will not be there when they return.  Ross can just give him that famous smirk of his and thank him for his time  

"We are not being greedy by looking to get what they are paid. All we expect is for Jenson to be paid on the scale that he was last year before Honda left."

Sorry Mr. Goddard, but he was overpaid his entire time at Honda and BAR.  And besides, Brawn is not Honda in that they don't have $400m a year to spend.  Brawn doesn't need him for TV commercials in Japan.

[cosworth151]

Doesn't Button's contract have bonuses for points scored, wins and a WDC? Didn't he learn anything from his previous problems?

[Scott]

Maybe that's his problem...he's tried that before but it didn't amount to anything.

[Jericoke]

If anyone is due a pay raise at Brawn, Button is at the bottom of the list.  It's not like he suddenly became a better driver.  It's the car that won.  Congrats to Button for sticking with the only team that would hire him, but he's benefitting from some very hard, and some very smart, work of other people. 

Even Barichello has shown measurable progress over the course of the season compared to Jenson.