"See you later, guys" - Photo Marney Reaney CCA
It’s one of the Daily Mail’s biggest stories of the day, and it’s one for which the rumour mill has been effervescing for some time. The deal which confirms that Brawn will be rebranded as Mercedes, in the process maintaining their 100% record of winning every available driver’s and constructor’s championship available, has also apparently seen Button frozen out at the team. His demands for a rise have fallen on deaf ears, but someone at McLaren has been listening, apparently, and they are happy to offer him a deal which will see him team up with Lewis Hamilton from next year.
Exclusive: Jenson Button seals £6m deal to join Lewis Hamilton at McLaren
Jenson Button has agreed to join McLaren in the most tantalising all-British driver line-up in Formula One history.
The world champion will be unveiled as Lewis Hamilton’s team-mate in the next 48 hours, and possibly as early as today, after negotiations late into last night finally resolved the ‘will-he-won’t-he?’ saga.
And, amazingly, Button has not left Brawn — now renamed Mercedes after their buy-out on Monday — for a massive salary hike.
A figure of £6million a year — a relatively small amount compared to Hamilton’s £15m salary — is understood to have been enough to entice Button, 29.
In fact, he was left with no serious alternative after Mercedes made it clear that they did not want to retain his services.
Compelling copy indeed. Just one tiny issue with it, given that it is November 18th today - the following story from Alan Henry in the Guardian on November 16th, a man described by James Allen, former F1 commentator and current journalist, as “a man who knows what colour the toilet paper is in Woking [McLaren's headquarters] from one day to the next”:
Jenson Button agrees to join McLaren on 3 year, £6m a year deal
Jenson Button has agreed terms to join McLaren on a £6m-a-year deal and could sign his formal three-year contract to partner Lewis Hamilton in an all-British line-up within the next few days.
The Guardian understands that the world champion has turned his back on Brawn following protracted negotiations and will almost double his salary with the Woking-based team. The 29-year-old was given a guided tour of McLaren’s factory last Friday and, although neither the team nor Button’s management would confirm the deal tonight, sources close to McLaren hinted: “I think Jenson liked what he saw and they liked him too.”
Top exclusiving from the Daily Mail, then.
