Button Signs 3 Year McLaren Deal

thegoth

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5699508,00.html

Bad bad move. He is in for an ass whipping from Lewis.

On a side note, its very sad that we wont see Kimi vs Lewis in the same team. Looks like all Kimi cares about is getting as much cash as possible to fund his playboy lifestyle. It just cost him his F1 career at 30

enzo7

omg big mistake his going to get destroyed by hamilton.

never really thought maclaren would really go with kimi, his finnished.

vectra

The Guardian is now reporting that Button is on the verge of signing a 3-year McLaren contract for his desired amount of £6m per season.

Not done yet.
>>http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/news/2009/11/17/button-agrees-terms-with-mclaren/

amacachi

No more Kimi?

thegoth

I wonder how will Vectra take the news that Kimis career in F1 is almost over ?

Someone should break it to him easily

vectra

thegoth wrote: »

I wonder how will Vectra take the news that Kimis career in F1 is almost over ?

Someone should break it to him easily

I watched F1 while Jordan was competing and still watch it.
Drivers come and go as do teams.
There is always someone else to support.

Frank Bullitt

vectra wrote: »

I watched F1 while Jordan was competing and still watch it.
Drivers come and go as do teams.
There is always someone else to support.

Maybe Alonso???

dcr22B

Kimi will go rallying in 2010 I suppose!

Slutmonkey57b

Ed Gorman is now reporting from the horses mouth in Brawn that Button has asked for 8 million and been offered it, although maybe not in the manner he wants it (ie flat cash).

If this is the case he needs to give his manager a kick in the balls and grab Ross's pen while it's still there.

hi_sir

dcr22B wrote: »

Kimi will go rallying in 2010 I suppose!

but where will he go abrath and he'd still be on the wage bill,but outside of that not to many options,

Frank Bullitt

hi_sir wrote: »

but where will he go abrath and he'd still be on the wage bill,but outside of that not to many options,

He could buy his own car and run it id say,maybe a customer Ford or Citron.

hi_sir

bit like team solberg or theres an option i didnt think off solberg was ment to be looking for a second paying driver now what would that be like mr Hollywood and the iceman

vectra

Gintonious wrote: »

Maybe Alonso???

Maybe Adam Carroll

Ghost Train

Hard to know whats going on... if he can get a three year McLaren deal after a slightly poor second half to the season then he probably should take it... although with Brawn he'll probably have a lot less competition from his team mate but McLaren look like the stronger team...

He hasn't the best record with contracts with Williams and Honda problems

thegoth

I want to see Button with Brawn so he can partner Rosberg. That would be a nice little battle.

Want to see Kimi with McLaren. That would be a mighty war. Kimis rep too a bit of a beating at Ferrari. A stint at McLaren, beating the boy wonder would put him right up there with the greats.

Kimi, forget the dosh, you have enough. Just sign with McLaren. There is no better deal out there except sitting on you ass at home in semi retirement at age 30

EvilMonkey

thegoth wrote: »

Kimi, forget the dosh, you have enough. Just sign with McLaren. There is no better deal out there except sitting on you ass at home in semi retirement at age 30

Where did you here Kimi not signing for McLaren was down to dosh?

zeris

EvilMonkey wrote: »

Where did you here Kimi not signing for McLaren was down to dosh?

Norbert Haug gives that impression. Of course, this could just be negotiating gamesmanship.

Maybe McLaren not signing Kimi was down to dosh.

thegoth

EvilMonkey wrote: »

Where did you here Kimi not signing for McLaren was down to dosh?

Generally report, but here is a quote from an article on www.jamesallenonf1.com

Say what you want about him. Most things he reports are/ come true. He is VERY well connected.

"And that leaves Kimi Raikkonen, Formula 1’s great enigma. It’s quite clear from reading the many comments on this site that Raikkonen has a huge fan base. People like his uncomplicated, non PC style and his raw talent. Many fans are suspicious of the media and the agendas it serves some times in its reporting and like the fact that Raikkonen gives the media short shrift.
But many Raikkonen fans are puzzled as to how he could have got himself into a situation where from being world champion two years ago with Ferrari he is now in real danger of being dropped out of F1.
Let’s deal with the contractual side first. He had a three year contract with Ferrari, which had an option clause in it for 2010. This option was taken up towards the end of 2008, even though Raikkonen had had, by his standards, a poor season. However Ferrari’s senior management, led by Luca di Montezemolo, then had a change of heart and decided that Fernando Alonso was a better long term bet. The arrival of Banco Santander as a sponsor for 2010 played a role in that too.
So negotiations took place to end Raikkonen’s contract a year early. As I understand it the deal is that if he leaves F1 he will receive €17 million in severance pay, which is half of the €34 million he’s been earning per year at Ferrari. However if he drives for another team in 2010 he will get just €10 million.
So that is why his manager, Steve Robertson, has been looking for a deal which makes sense. The McLaren offer is understood to be around €6 million, similar to the money Button is being offered. So he would earn more money sitting on his sofa in Switzerland than he would racing for McLaren.

enzo7

thats very intresting i didnt know that, so it really just comes down to weather he wants to be and f1 driver or not. Regardless of the ferrari clause i dont think his worth more dan 10mil anyway. I think 8mil would be fair its a little insulting offering 6 but i guess the way mclaren see it they hav a top line driver in hamilton so why pay over the odds for a 2nd.

As a ferrari fan i really hope he signs for any team the less money ferrari hav to waste on him the better.

Oblomov

Raikkonen has the reputation of being a very shrewd negotiator and always seeking top dollar for his services.

The usual comment, ' if you shake hands with Kimi, count your fingers afterwards.'

Listed as the highest paid driver in F1 it would be reasonable to assume that Kimi's main motivation is the money.

Slutmonkey57b

ON BBC AND AUTOSPORT:

Button/McLaren deal confirmed.

Huge huge mistake from Button.
Equal mistake from Brawn, he's lost the coveted No.1 and he was already having massive trouble getting sponsors. Next year he'll have 2 middle rank drivers, no title sponsor, no #1 and Norbert throwing his weight around.

thegoth

Slutmonkey57b wrote: »

ON BBC AND AUTOSPORT:

Button/McLaren deal confirmed.

Huge huge mistake from Button.
Equal mistake from Brawn, he's lost the coveted No.1 and he was already having massive trouble getting sponsors. Next year he'll have 2 middle rank drivers, no title sponsor, no #1 and Norbert throwing his weight around.

I dont know about that. Rosberg is a very handy driver. They dont need sponsors to the same extent they did a month ago now that they have Merc backing them. If the are short €20 million, Merc will write a cheque.

Agree. Its a massive mistake by Button. If he gets an ass whipping by Lewis, which I think he will, then he may well be put into the same world champion category as Hill

Off topic. Looks like Kimi has no options left. If he wouldnt accept €6 million from McLaren, he won't accept it from Brawn. Doubt he'd even accept €8 from Brawn. That could well be the end of Kimi at 29. Sad

Slutmonkey57b

From Martin Whitmarsh:

“I want to make clear that Jenson’s decision to join us was in no way motivated by money. We’ll be paying him no more than he could be getting elsewhere, and that fact is a reflection of not only Jenson’s belief in Vodafone McLaren Mercedes but also his desire and ambition to build on the phenomenal results he achieved during the 2009 season.

If it's not down to money, then what is it down to? Nick Fry trying to get away with "we'll pay you your current salary, make up the rest where you can - in a recession - when the team itself can't even get a title sponsor"? A multi-year deal as opposed to a 1-year deal? Weird weird weird. I find it amazing Ross didn't wrap this up months ago. If he thinks Button/Brawn was a "logical" pairing, he could have sorted this out.

I think Brawn are going to have a much stronger car than McLaren at the start of the season, because McLaren have to ditch Kers and they've been doing all their work on this year's car - not all of which will transfer. Ross, as usual, has given himself a whole year with the new car, doesn't have to make shoddy last minute changes and is in a better position. Unquestionably McLaren will be better at delivering improvements mid-season though.

Merc have been pretty clear they are not writing any cheques. In fact, one of their Board members is demanding they pull out of the Brawn deal altogether. And Chris Sylt on pitpass states that they are already stretching their budget and the board isn't happy. I think Brawn have much bigger cashflow problems over the next 5-6 years than Mclaren will. If they couldn't attract a title sponsor this year, based on their form, then what hope is there for getting some for what is a very obvious "ve are zee germans and zat is it" team?

Slutmonkey57b

Button doesn't have a problem with talent deficit to Hamilton - I think his major problem is that he's so picky about how the car behaves, that the Brawn was developed for a year with him in mind - whereas the McLaren is developed with a totally opposing driving style in mind. Even if (BIG if) he gets equal treatment, and the Hamiltons don't screw him over, then the car simply isn't going to suit him, just like the early McLaren didn't suit Lewis, or the Ferrari didn't suit Fisi.

vectra

Why dont Merc throw Kimi €10 mil and say."Here kimi, sit in there and show them how its done"

Frank Bullitt

Why would he leave the Brawn team where he would have been a No.1 driver to become a No.2?

Another bad decision in the long and sad history of bad decisions.

Brawn sums this up well i think

"His best future is with our team, where he has a good group around him, and there's a lot to be said for that. The logical thing would be for him to stay with us, but of course logic doesn't always prevail."

enzo7

thegoth wrote: »

I dont know about that. Rosberg is a very handy driver. They dont need sponsors to the same extent they did a month ago now that they have Merc backing them. If the are short €20 million, Merc will write a cheque.

Agree. Its a massive mistake by Button. If he gets an ass whipping by Lewis, which I think he will, then he may well be put into the same world champion category as Hill

Off topic. Looks like Kimi has no options left. If he wouldnt accept €6 million from McLaren, he won't accept it from Brawn. Doubt he'd even accept €8 from Brawn. That could well be the end of Kimi at 29. Sad

Rosberg is a fantastic driver he was def one of the drivers of the season , id hav him over button any day of the week, button is going to be destroyed at maclaren and in my view he is already in the hill category of world champs and it looks like kimi will b joining them which for a guy of his talent is tragic!! another note can not wait for nxt season:D

enzo7

Gintonious wrote: »

Why would he leave the Brawn team where he would have been a No.1 driver to become a No.2?

Another bad decision in the long and sad history of bad decisions.

Brawn sums this up well i think

"His best future is with our team, where he has a good group around him, and there's a lot to be said for that. The logical thing would be for him to stay with us, but of course logic doesn't always prevail."

It a very bad decision maybe bn world champ is gone to his head:D. seriously doe maybe he belives he can beat hamilton and its something he needs to do himself to prove his britians real no.1.

JP Liz

Jenson Button has signed to drive alongside Lewis Hamilton in an all-English line-up at McLaren next season

Slutmonkey57b

I was thinking about why Button would make this move when it's clearly the wrong one. The press release he talks about new challenges and targets, and knowing whether you're really the best. He mentioned in brazil how he felt he deserved it, how the pressure got to him, how he probably read the press too much, that that was the drive of a world champion.

I have an idea that this move has nothing to do with money, or prospects. I think that this is a guy who believes he's one of the best, and the pretty open criticism of him that it's the car that won it, that Hamilton is better, Alonso is better etc has got to him. I think he's gone to McLaren to prove to himself (and to others) whether he really is as good as he thinks he is. Problem is, he won't be in equal equipment. He'll be in Hamilton's team, driving Hamilton's car, against Hamilton's cronies. If he'd stayed at brawn, he'd have a much better chance of defending, and if he was back-to-back champion, there'd be no doubters.

enzo7

Slutmonkey57b wrote: »

I was thinking about why Button would make this move when it's clearly the wrong one. The press release he talks about new challenges and targets, and knowing whether you're really the best. He mentioned in brazil how he felt he deserved it, how the pressure got to him, how he probably read the press too much, that that was the drive of a world champion.

I have an idea that this move has nothing to do with money, or prospects. I think that this is a guy who believes he's one of the best, and the pretty open criticism of him that it's the car that won it, that Hamilton is better, Alonso is better etc has got to him. I think he's gone to McLaren to prove to himself (and to others) whether he really is as good as he thinks he is. Problem is, he won't be in equal equipment. He'll be in Hamilton's team, driving Hamilton's car, against Hamilton's cronies. If he'd stayed at brawn, he'd have a much better chance of defending, and if he was back-to-back champion, there'd be no doubters.

ya competely agree.

Slutmonkey57b

incredible - according to Jake Humphrey on twitter, the news about McLaren broke while he was just about to interview Button for Sports Personality - at a Brawn GP hosted event. This shows, if nothing else, how badly Brawn/Merc misjudged this situation. They were convinced they held all the cards and Button would just sign regardless because he had nowhere else to go, realistically. Wow.

amacachi

Has the KERS thing been settled for next season yet? If McLaren are still using it Hamilton will probably get a good coupla tenths advantage for the first few races and that'll be Button done.

Slutmonkey57b

No KERS next year - another example of FIA two-faced crap.

zeris

Slutmonkey57b wrote: »

No KERS next year - another example of FIA two-faced crap.

Like I said in another thread I read the 2010 tech regulations. KERS is allowed next year.

The teams under FOTA have decided to not use KERS next year. Nothing to do with the FIA.

I wonder which of the teams will break from FOTA and run KERS. Williams would be the best bet of they ever get it working. They bought a company for that purpose so they may as well use it. FOTA kicked them out this year, it would be sweet for Williams to turn up on the grid in Bahrain and give FOTA the big finger.

thegoth

enzo7 wrote: »

Rosberg is a fantastic driver he was def one of the drivers of the season , id hav him over button any day of the week, button is going to be destroyed at maclaren and in my view he is already in the hill category of world champs and it looks like kimi will b joining them which for a guy of his talent is tragic!! another note can not wait for nxt season:D

I 100% agree. I was being careful with my words

thegoth

vectra wrote: »

Why dont Merc throw Kimi €10 mil and say."Here kimi, sit in there and show them how its done"

I dont think Kimi would drive for €10 either. If Merc paid him €10, then he I suspect he would think, "I am only €3 million better off minus travelling expenses for driving in 2010 versus staying at him and partying for the year"

Remember, according to reports, Kimi gets €7 million less from Ferrari if he signs for another team

€10-€7=€3

vectra

thegoth wrote: »

I dont think Kimi would drive for €10 either. If Merc paid him €10, then he I suspect he would think, "I am only €3 million better off minus travelling expenses for driving in 2010 versus staying at him and partying for the year"

Remember, according to reports, Kimi gets €7 million less from Ferrari if he signs for another team

€10-€7=€3

€17m - €7m = €1m0 Plus €10m from Merc = €20 Million
He would not have to pay any expenses .. Unlike Button who had to

zeris

vectra wrote: »

€17m - €7m = €1m0 Plus €10m from Merc = €20 Million
He would not have to pay any expenses .. Unlike Button who had to

Err, this isn't the numbers game from Countdown but the answer you have is the same as thegoth. The difference between racing and not racing is $3 million.

thegoth

zeris wrote: »

Err, this isn't the numbers game from Countdown but the answer you have is the same as thegoth. The difference between racing and not racing is $3 million.

Correct. Vectra, your maths are wrong

vectra

thegoth wrote: »

Correct. Vectra, your maths are wrong

Maths are right
He would be getting €20 million.

zeris

vectra wrote: »

Maths are right
He would be getting €20 million.

He earns $17 million from Ferrari for not racing.

He earns* $20 million combined from Ferrari and Mercedes if he does race.

The difference between him racing and not racing is $3 million. So essentially he gets paid $3 million next year to race.

* potentially seeing as the deal isn't announced yet

Slutmonkey57b

There's a Kimi Thread over there --> you know!

On topic: Interview with Nick Fry in Autosport:

Key points:
1) Fry is totally flummoxed.
2) They offered him more money than Mclaren. (doesn't tie in with making previous comments about making him hunt for sponsors to make up the difference)
3) Fry thinks a 2 year deal is the same length as a 3 year deal.
4) Fry thinks Jenson will have to "up his game" to beat Hamilton.

While we all think that, for Fry to say it openly reveals that they really didn't rate Jenson that highly I think, which could be a reason for moving.

edit: wrote merc instead of mclaren. That's going to be confusing.

vectra

Slutmonkey57b wrote: »

Key points:
2) They offered him more money than Merc. (doesn't tie in with making previous comments about making him hunt for sponsors to make up the difference)
3) Fry thinks a 2 year deal is the same length as a 3 year deal.
4) Fry thinks Jenson will have to "up his game" to beat Hamilton.

While we all think that, for Fry to say it openly reveals that they really didn't rate Jenson that highly I think, which could be a reason for moving.

All good points