Mercedes buy the Brawn F1 team
Mercedes buy the Brawn F1 team
Well it looks like Button and McLaren are closing in on a deal. Have to say that not purely as a Kimi fan, I think it's a shocker that he probably now won't be in F1 in 2010.
Not everyone likes the way he does things, but everyone agrees he is one of the top 3 drivers in F1 (alongside Hamilton and Alonso) so the fact he doesn't have a drive is sickening as it's all down to corporate politics.
Obviously he still may end up at McLaren (or even more surprisingly at Mercedes) but it does appear a long shot now.
Marsdendean So mclaren and mercedes have gone there own ways then!
Marsdendean So mclaren and mercedes have gone there own ways then!
I guess it makes sense, if McLaren wants to build their own sports cars to directly rival Mercedes ones, there was no way they could have that partnership.
It's clearly an amicable split though, as MB are providing the engines free of charge, plus I think some form of sponsorship for the next few years (which is why the team will still be called McLaren Mercedes for now)
According to this report, Raikonnen's manager says that he won't be in F1 next season.
steviewevie According to this report, Raikonnen's manager says that he won't be in F1 next season.
steviewevie According to this report, Raikonnen's manager says that he won't be in F1 next season.
And http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorspo...365967.stm
Raikkonon going rallying instead of F1, Raikkonen's manager suggests that McLaren have already signed Button.
I think the only thing that forced Raikkonon out of F1 were his salary demands and the fact that his heart doesn't really seem to be in it. I think he got bored/infurated at Ferrari and has been looking for something else to do.
Edit: The Guardian are reporting this morning that McLaren have already signed Button as well.
I don't think it was just salary demands, I think McLaren wanted him to do a lot more publicity work than he wanted, plus they weren't too keen on him doing rallies on the side.........(plus there appears to be pressure from Vodafone about how marketable 2 brits will be)
I'm confused by the Button situation, on one hand everyone's saying that he's already pretty much signed up with McLaren, and then we have Ross Brawn saying that negotiations are still ongoing.
If he really has signed with McLaren without being upfront with Brawn I don't think I'd have the same respect for him as that's a low blow to the guy who brought him from being unemployed to world champion (regardless of salary disagreements going on now)
Something I read on another site that is interesting, next year may end up as:
British team with British drivers vs. German team with German drivers vs. Latin team with Latin drivers.........isn't F1 supposed to be international? :tongue_smilie:
Button move to McLaren confirmed: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorspo...363892.stm
The thing is Mika Hakkinen was reported to be "only" taking a year out, he never came back. I can't see Kimi ever returning to F1. Equally I can't see Button winning against Hamilton, LH is a far better driver.
2tongues The thing is Mika Hakkinen was reported to be "only" taking a year out, he never came back. I can't see Kimi ever returning to F1. Equally I can't see Button winning against Hamilton, LH is a far better driver.
2tongues The thing is Mika Hakkinen was reported to be "only" taking a year out, he never came back. I can't see Kimi ever returning to F1. Equally I can't see Button winning against Hamilton, LH is a far better driver.