Recent reports have been linking newly crowned World Champion Jenson Button with a possible move to McLaren for 2010.
With Brawn GP apparently stumbling over Button’s wage demands, rumours have started linking him to the second seat at McLaren.
It now looks pretty certain that Heikki Kovalainen will be leaving the team so McLaren are in the market for a new driver.
When asked about a possible move for Button, McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh said: “We’ve talked to a number of drivers. It wouldn’t be appropriate to say more than that.
“We’ll hire the two best drivers available to us as we always have,”
From that short statement all we can take from it is that Kovalainen probably wont be there for 2010.
F1 ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone slated Brawn for not securing a contract with the Brit: “They are being a little bit arrogant considering how long they have been in Formula 1,”
“They should remember they have only been in the sport 10 minutes really.”
Jenson Button’s manger Richard Goddard added his thoughts: “Brawn could have sorted Jenson out weeks ago. He’s made it clear he wants to stay.”
“A lot of quality seats may still be available so it’s down to Brawn to make us an offer.”
One man who is sure that there will be no “British Dream-Team” is Mercedes boss Norbert Haug.
“There are no current negotiations with Jenson Button but I do have understanding for the fact that people in England are dreaming of an English team with two World Champions in the cockpits,” Haug told German Press Agency dpa.
“However, dreams don’t always come true.”
So with the McLaren door seemingly closed, other than a deal with Brawn, where will Button go for 2010? Toyota? Not likely!