Comments on: Vettel surprised by Button’s move

By: Fixxed

Fixxed — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:45:41 +0000

I would have to agree.

The trick is for Mercedes GP to sign a driver on a short contract (no more than 1 year) who is competitive but can be expended if SV should become available. No shortage of names there.
Now that Rosberg has been confirmed, they can wait until 2011 to try to sign Vettel who is obviously making overtures to MB with his comments.

Question is: will N Heidfeld agree to a short contract? I’m guessing no. This may have been the same sticking point to losing Button to McLaren.

I wish the dumb stories about MS returning would go away.

By: Leslie

Leslie — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:16:33 +0000

Yes Button is receiving lot of flak when he shouldnt be. Everybody knows that Merc wants 2 German drivers and Kimi is in the market. So it makes sense to sign as soon as possible with the best offer that he could get.
Also McLaren throws new challenges at him and gives him an opportunity to prove that he was a worthy champion.

By: Matthew Smith

Matthew Smith — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:05:15 +0000

Just to add, that a lot of people are making comments about Button’s lack of loyalty to Brawn, but what about Brawns’ loyalty to Button? Jenson has proven over the years his desire to stay with a team, so I can only assume Brawn went out of their way to alienate him in some way, whether monetarily or otherwise.

By: ubergreg

ubergreg — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:14:35 +0000

I’m sure everyone is surprised, but as far as Button’s reason for leaving is concerned, I think the money issue should be put to rest. Whatever his true reason for leaving, both he and Mercedes’ management agree that the remuneration aspect was, in the end, not a factor.

I do think Button made a very shrewd move, and I don’t think people give him enough credit for thinking his decision through. He would get swallowed up in the new Mercedes team and fade into obscurity very, very quickly. At MacLaren, he has a chance to shine in one of the top cars/teams, because of his nationality, his (perceived?) underdog status within the team and the sheer audacity of his surprise move.

I get a feeling Button is a man who understands very well his own chances for future success, if not his own limits. He freely admits he had a ‘monster’ of a car in ‘09, and I’m sure he knows as well as any of us armchair commentators (ha!) that his best chance has come — which he duly seized — and that it probably won’t happen again.

And finally, don’t underestimate his ability to win over some hearts and minds at MacLaren. He may not be their future, but I sincerely believe the team won’t throw him completely to the wolves, either. It would NOT go down well here in England.

By: Leslie

Leslie — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:12:34 +0000

Mercedes sure cant wait to get this guy in their team. He to me seems like the best driver out there. Really impressed by how he drove and behaved.