JULY 29, 2005

Button to get no truck from Williams

Jenson Button's remarks this week about his future have not gone down well with Sir Frank Williams, with whom Button has a contract for 2006.

Jenson Button's remarks this week about his future have not gone down well with Sir Frank Williams, with whom Button has a contract for 2006. There have been several meetings between the two to discuss the matter but on all occasions Williams has refused to release Jenson. This is not a surprise and taking the argument into the public domain will serve no useful purpose. Using the media to try to strengthen Button's case is not a strategy which is wise when taking on Williams.

"A deal is a deal," says Sir Frank. "A contract is a contract. I have always believed that a signature on a contract is basically underlining a man's word given in honour. We have a proper and correct contract in place that will stand up to any examination. I keep reading that he wants to be World Champion. Why can't he be World Champion with us? I understand Jenson's concerns about his team's competitive position and our uncompetitive situation at the moment. Teams go up and down. We will be back, if not in the second half of this year, certainly next. If a driver says 'Sorry, I have changed my mind' every time it suits him, there would be chaos in the paddock. Sponsors will know that some teams don't keep their word as given in signed contracts. The same applies to drivers.

"A third party has chosen to use the press to strengthen Jenson's case," Williams says, "but the whole situation is much more profound than that."

It looks like BAR may have to look elsewhere for a driver in 2006.