enduro911

If we stick with my philosophy of the truth lying somewhere in between, I have to believe many things played into this. German drivers with a German team make sense but only after not having the option of resigning the Formula 1 WC. So why would Button leave?

2 things come to mind. First, Button can get more money from Mclaren than he can from Brawn. I think that Ross knows that he may not be worth what his results truly yield because of the advantage provided to him by the car last year. Second, and I've brought this up in other threads, I really believe Button likes the idea that Mclaren have started working on the upcoming year's car well in advance - logic of course being "Look at how they were able to make the kind of progress they did with this past year's car, imagine next year's car after a head start!!!" It's worked well for him once, not that he had much choice in the matter after Honda folded.

Finally, I really do think there's an element of Button not trusting his team to give him equal status or better. We know that Ross favored Michael, clearly because Michael was better than his teammates, but with Mercedes getting involved, I see this as being extra precautious. Ross is great at making one driver the lead and the other the constructor's points-scorer. In my opinion, Button simply doesn't want to not get caught as an unofficial number 2, even if Ross doesn't want it to happen.

Finally, Kimi is too expensive for Brawn and will only come back when he is motivated, or when his current asking price is met.

333pg333

Don't imagine that JB will be suffered gladly by the enfant terrible either. Think MB just wanted 2 Krauts in the Kokpits and JB was encouraged to float himself on the market. Still, not a bad time to do so with the 'Cup' in your hands.

multi21

But now Button is the Official #2. As reigning WDC.

enduro911

Is it official as of now or is this an assumption? Reason I ask is because this did cross my mind, but I'm willing to give Mclaren the benefit of the doubt for now because Ron's not running the show...doesn't mean you won't be proven right though.

Flying Finn

Button is making LESS money at McLaren (~6 million pounds) than what Brawn (8 million pounds) offered...

JustinL

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/moto...ne/8368107.stm

Schumacher is rumored to be in talks with Mercedes. Could be an interesting season reuniting Ross Brawn and his old driver.

multi21

A couple things about that article. The quote by Schumacher's spokewoman, Sabine, was not made recently, but immediately after Schumacher made the statement that he could not return to F1 because of his neck injury.

Mercedes has been after Schumacher for 15 years and they've never gotten him -- Not saying it won't, but highly unlikely.

The other tiny detail the article failed to mention is that Schumacher's wife does not want him to go back to racing in F1. The loss of approximately half a billion dollars in assets in a divorce should be enough to sway his decision.

If Renault does not stay in F1, picking up Kubica wouldn't be too shabby. The guy can drive and is used to working with the Germans.

ltc

Don't tease me...