The latest news sweeping the online world is that Jenson Button has signed a 3 year deal with McLaren worth £6 million a year. I must stress that at this time this is not confirmed, but heavily suspected to be true. After yesterday’s news of Mercedes buying into Brawn GP, Jenson Button moving to McLaren seems more likely than ever. The signing of Jenson Button will save McLaren a fair few millions of pounds a year than if they’d signed Kimi Raikkonen.
Jenson Button – soon to be driving the #1 car for McLaren?
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I’ve had some feedback which suggests that I have been unfair when talking about Jenson Button and that he has far more fire in his belly than I have given him credit for. Admittedly my judgement of Jenson Button is only based on the past few seasons where before last season he was almost non-existent, and last year I was pretty unimpressed despite him winning the World Championship. I’m more than willing to be proven wrong and if I am, and this move to McLaren is actually happening, then that’ll mean more championship points for the team I love and more positive blogging to be done!
I can’t help thinking that Mercedes GP are making a mistake in letting Jenson Button go, because as much as I don’t see his apparent driving skills, he’s a better proposition than either Nick Heidlfeld or Nico Rosberg. The former is consistent but unspectacular and the latter is a wiz in qualifying but never seems to translate that to podium finishes. It’s all very well Mercedes wanting an all German line up of drivers but shouldn’t the potential to succeed be the bigger factor in signing a driver?
Mercedes have said they will announce their drivers for 2010 in the next week or so, but if Jesnon Button is announced as a McLaren driver before then I think Mercedes will be forced into bringing their announcement forward – it would be as obvious as the Ferrari signing of Fernando Alonso earlier in the year.
As for Kimi Raikkonen, well this leaves him taking that money spinning sabbatical that he has spoken about. He has maintained that he will only drive for the right team and with no competitive drive options left one can only assume that the 2007 world champion will not be on the grid in Bahrain next March.
McLaren Fan Blog 
Hey mate, great commentary as always 😉
According to KR’s own PR, McLaren was the only option the Finn would consider. Outside of that, he’s taking a year off with his rather ludicrous Ferrari severance. Once Button was found available and interested, and it turned-out he was willing to work for less than KR and actually do some side work with sponsors (presumably more than one event was too many for KR), the choice was rather settled.
Also, Macca weren’t chuffed with KR’s request/demand to continue his sideline swanning about in one of the few major motorsport series that can kill you – rallying. So, added to it Brawn’s being bought by Merc, enter Button and his $6m alleged contract.
Kimi will be rallying next year for Finlandia instead of getting a seat-fitting in the MP4-25, and I think it’ll be GOOD for our beloved squad.
Firstly, unlike Kimi, Button has a better CV when it comes to working with engineers and developing cars. So, he gives a greater damn than the Iceman. Second, he doesn’t drive as aggressively or as ham-handed as Kimi does — so the cars will last longer. Third, an outgoing guy and personable, he’ll be decent with the sponsors and good with the team — he showed that at Brawn when things were the blackest, he always seemed to find something upbeat (after he was through complaining).
Fourth, IF the MP4-25 is as good as Whitmarsh has been suggesting it will be, and if the motors from Merc are up to the 2009 standard, and as Button has proved he can convert good qualis into wins with a good car under him, and assuming we’re more than a match for Ferrari, RBR, Brawn, etc. we should see a renewal of multi-driver podiums and a good haul of points next year.
Aside from all that, Button brings a solid work ethic, recent experience with developing a winning car, a WDC, the #1 sticker, a dislike of Finlandia and an aversion for kicking-in trailer doors. I reckon 2010 should be a good one.
Cheers!
Great comments – it’s getting very exciting at McLaren just recently and 2010 is looking it should be a fantastic year.
The McLaren v Ferrari war is going to mouth watering, with Hamilton/Button v Alonso/Massa – throw Vettel into the mix and as long as no one team has the huge early season advantage that Brawn GP enjoyed this season, then Formula 1 could be on the cusp of an all time great season of racing – as long as we see some over-taking!