SEPTEMBER 30, 2001

Button rumors flying in paddock

The future of Jenson Button was much under discussion at Indianapolis with rumors circulating that the young British driver is being offered to other teams by Benetton.

THE future of Jenson Button was much under discussion at Indianapolis with rumors circulating that the young British driver is being offered to other teams by Benetton. The team will become Renault Sport next year and a few weeks ago Renault Sport boss Patrick Faure said that Button would be staying but at Indianapolis there were stories that current team boss Flavio Briatore is offering Button to other teams. Benetton has a contract which means that it has to provide Button with a car and as Briatore seems to want to switch his young driver Fernando Alonso to the team he has to get rid of Button. No deal is possible however unless Button agrees to it and we understand that he wants to stay at Benetton. Button is under option to Williams for the 2003 season.