Williams announces 2005 driver line-up.. You'll be surprised..

[chris]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/3540478.stm

Williams no.2 driver is Jenson Button. So he joins Webber at the British team next year.

But it leaves me wondering why he chose to go to Williams BMW? That place at the moment is something like a pressure cooker with the poor performance of the blue/white cars this year.. Not just the Williams management wants results, but the board-room in Munich would be an additional source of pressure.

BAR seem so relatively steady and stable at the moment, and Jensen is, or rather was the definate no.1 driver in that team. And the Honda engine is finally coming good, showing reliability and lots of power.

Still, I have to praise old Frank for choosing a couple of good drivers for next year. It will certainly be a pleasant change I expect from the Montoya/R. Schumacher roller-coaster ride of ups and downs.

I note this strange comment from Sir Frank:
"We've always believed an outstanding measure of a great world champion driver is the smoothness with which he drives and the infrequency of his accidents."

That's quite logical, and good, until we get to my next point that I made elsewhere.

So then, what made him choose the previous drivers? I don't think you'd choose Montoya for either of the two previous reasons. Life at Williams with Montoya, on track at least seemed to be quite an interesting roller-coaster ride at times.. Never a dull moment, that's for certain. ;)

Also, Toyota have announced they will drop Cristiano da Matta and replace him with Ricardo Zonta for the rest of the season:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/3537850.stm

[Mickcals]

That is a bit of a surprise.

I thought due to the success Button is having lately with BAR that he would stay - Webber is understandable.

That is unless BAR has bigger plans and are planning on bring in soem better or more experienced drivers to topple Michael

[Y2kGoofball]

:sofa: ... yes, cars are funny

I've got no idea about F1 so I'm gonna stay behind the sofa :p

[D_Man]

Button's team change is certainly a surprise. I am now waiting with renewed interest to see how the other team line-ups look next season :D

Dave

[chris]

Uh oh.. We spoke too soon. And a storm is brewing:

http://www.planet-f1.com/news/story_16810.shtml

Dave Richards and BAR are apparently furious. Maybe a legal battle is on the cards. BAR seems genuinely dumbfounded and shocked, caught totally by surprise.

[Mickcals]

well someone has stuffed up

[chris]

Button would have been wiser staying with BAR I believe, and never underestimate the usefullness of having a company like Honda as the engine supplier. They are certainly not idiots when it comes to building potent F1 engines, they've done it all before.

I don't believe we are seeing Honda as strong as it could be due to the relatively restrictive nature of the engine rules these days. If rules were more free, Honda engined cars might well be dominating at the moment.

[Mickcals]

with free-er rules all teams would improve engine peformance, with free-er anything can happen

[lewi]

does this mean coulthard might find a seat at BAR? =)

[chris]

Maybe, but BAR is still saying they have a deal with JB for 2005 already signed and sealed. So your guess is as good as mine.

Coulthard was expected to go to Jaguar, although Jaguar have said he'd have to take a substantial pay cut, and that circumstances at "planet Ford" are far different from "planet Mclaren". Jaguar doesn't have the same extensive funds as Mclaren.

Coulthard would be wise to move to BAR if he gets the chance, since he is a good driver, and BAR seem to be a steady team. Good thing for teams is that Coulthard is quite a stable driver and tends to look after cars quite well, and he finishes races.

[D_Man]

Now that Da Matta has been sacked by Toyota I thought Ryan Briscoe might have had a look-in there, but today it was announced that he will drive for Minardi next year. It is good to see two Aussies driving F1 now :)

Dave

[FeZ]

F1 Transfer Crazy Season has started :D

I would be really surprised if Button would go to Williams as #1b ^_^

[Perko_Rulz]

hmmm. If Button can't leave BAR, DC might get a 1 year contract with Williams. I also found it strange that Button was going back to Williams after he left at the start of his career.

[lewi]

omg, crazy talk!!! lol, now I'm confuzed :eek:

[chris]

The wonders of the F1 silly-season. :)

On Toyota I think that company is a very pragmatic one, and it tends to take a conservative approach to everything. I think their car can only get better from here, with the new technical director they have.

Button really is unwise to go to Williams. Okay, it would be a great combination of drivers in that team, but in BAR, he was the undisputed #1 driver, while a Williams, he'll have a hell of a fight with Mark Webber who is always fast and consistent.

The BMW management seem impressed and happy to have both Webber and Button. So, we see what happens next year.

I wonder if there could be a possibility of Jaque Villeneuve coming back to BAR after he was tossed out of the team so rudely. Villeneuve was incredibly loyal to that BAR team, giving up plenty of chances to drive elsewhere. He would be a good driver to have, because he is quick.

Now the mercurial Flavio Briatore has also admitted that he sacrificed Jarno Trulli's position at the Renault team as a sort of encouragement to Fernando Alonso who this year has not been as quick as Trulli.

[Wazza]

Holy heck! Never saw that one coming.. Must have been really hush hush, or done VERY quickly.

Aren't the 3 weeks break supposed to relax the drivers, and give them some family time? Now all these guys will be getting is media in their face. :?

I was really enjoying Button with BAR, one of the only teams taking great leaps forward in development, and good qualifying, and not bad finishes.. Wouldn't be too long before we see a few wins.

Button and Webber together.. Two quieter, more sensible guys in racing, who do finish more races. I hope the fight for #1 driver in the team, doesn't tear them apart.

[chris]

War is on the horizon so it appears:


Quote from F1-Live

BAR issue Button an ultimatum
Jenson ‘has to explain to them what is going on’

BAR has issued an ultimatum to Jenson Button's management company, ‘Essentially Sport’, requiring them to arrange a face to face meeting between Button and BAR executives by close of business on Monday or face immediate action to enforce BAR's contract with Button.

"We have been trying to talk to Jenson for days," said David Richards, BAR Team Principal. "He has a clear duty to all of those who've worked with him for the last two years to explain to them what is going on."

"We have complete confidence in the strength of our contractual rights," said Richards "and in the option that we have exercised for 2005."

The option was approved at a board meeting of BAR on 20th July. Jenson and his management team were informed of this in writing well before the end of the option period on 31st July, a fact acknowledged by Essentially Sport. Notice of exercise of the option had also been lodged with F1's Contract Recognition Board in Switzerland.

"If people make commitments they should keep them - and I will use every means available to me to make sure that all the requirements of our contract are met," said Richards.

"If we do not have a meeting with Jenson by Monday night to sort this out, the processes to enforce our rights under the contract will commence without further notice."


Dave Richards sounds quite determined. From the sounds of what he has said, He and BAR, and Honda as well have every right to be very upset.

There are some strong rumours that Mika Hakkinen will replace Button at BAR. Mika has even sort of confirmed that he has been in negotiations with BAR.

[way124]

Nah. PR stunt. 3 week holiday too boring for newswriters. :D

[LuC!FeR]

hmmm, the plot thickens....


Source: ITV-F1 (http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?PO_ID=30848)

Bernie Ecclestone has warned Jenson Button could lose his F1 super-license over his contract row with BAR.

Button’s controversial move to Williams is likely to be referred to the F1 contracts recognition board.

Ecclestone said the consequences could be grave if Button was found to be in breach of his contract.

The F1 supremo told The Sunday Sport: "We have a contracts board in Geneva which will examine the issue and decide what's right and what's wrong, if anything.

"If Button is found to be in breach of contract with BAR and wants to move on illegally he could lose his superlicence and that would mean he couldn't drive for Williams.

"Morally, Jenson has an obligation to stay but when agents, promises and big money come into it morals go out the window. We are not like football - I like to think our players stick to their agreements and promises."

Ecclestone added that he would be disappointed if the Brit had exploited a technicality to get out of his BAR contract.

He said: "If a technicality allows him out of his contract I don't think he would be much of a gentleman to take it.”

Starting to sound like a script from World Wrestling Entertainment isn't it :)

[chris]

Jenson I see now actually does have a good reason. I believe it is to do with Honda engine supply. It's a long story, but let me try and explain. In 2006, a new rule arrives banning tobacco sponsorship. Now BAR of course is British American Tobacco, and if they pull out, Honda might do so as well, seeing as it has some clause it can use, or something like that.

That's just a rumour I heard, I don't know of how truthful or otherwise it is..

[chris]

BAR prepares to welcome back Jenson:

http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=21923

;)

The rest of the saga appears to have been settled, he seems to be going to Williams and that seems final, regardless of BAR's protests to the contrary:

http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=21927

That was the Williams side of the story, given in response to BAR's claims, as follows:

http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=21925

[VQ]

quite a sage going on there......

[MATT]

quite a sage going on there......


Gotta keep the excitement up somehow, seeing as how the on-track action can often times fail to keep it up ;)

[lewi]

true. Lol @ "TRAITOR" is that real?

[jelly]

Read this ( in order ):

http://msn.foxsports.com/story/2664116
http://msn.foxsports.com/story/2664122

I found it a great read.