F1: What future for Jenson Button after Abu Dhabi?

From GMM

Christian Horner has expressed surprise that the new world champion, is still on the market for a team to drive for in 2010, meanwhile Nick Fry stays optimistic, Jenson Button will stay with Brawn and Jenson Button adds fuel to speculation that he could leave Brawn after Sunday's 2009 season finale.


Christian Horner is boss of the Red Bull team, whose Sebastian Vettel was beaten to the drivers' title by 29-year-old Button last time out in Brazil.

Briton Button and Brawn are at odds over the size of his retainer for next year, which has reportedly sparked the interest of the McLaren team.

McLaren was earlier thought keen to snap up the available Kimi Raikkonen, but the Finn's asking price is at least double the amount Button is demanding from his reluctant Brawn chiefs.

"I just find it staggering he's won the world championship and had a brilliant year and he hasn't been signed up for next year," Christian Horner told BBC television on Friday when asked about Button's contract standoff.

"If I was Brawn, I'd get off the fence pretty quickly because he's a pretty attractive proposition. I wouldn't hang about too long if I were them," he added.



Nick Fry, Brawn team chief executive, the percentage-chance that Jenson Button will stay at Brawn in 2010 has dropped.

Amid reports the parties are at odds over the size of the new world champion's retainer, boss Ross Brawn said recently that the chance of Button staying put was nonetheless "99 per cent".

But in an interview with the BBC on Friday, Fry was also talking numbers.

"I'm pretty confident he will stay with the team -- I'm 80 per cent certain," he said.


Jenson Button has added fuel to speculation that he could leave Brawn after Sunday's 2009 season finale if they are not prepared to pay him more.

"I have achieved what I wanted to in F1 and I want new challenges," said the 29-year-old. "There's no one on this grid I wouldn't go up against. But I'm not talking about Lewis; I'm talking generally."

Button scoffed at suggestions that Brawn cannot afford to pay him more because they have now burned through the money provided by Honda amid the management buyout of last winter.

"They have just won the world (constructors') championship, you know. There is a lot of money involved in that. But as I have said before, money is not the most important factor for me," the Briton insisted.

He confirmed that he has been approached by some of Brawn's rival teams, but refused to name them. "It wouldn't be fair (to name them) as I haven't yet sat down and discussed the future with my team. We are waiting to get this race out of the way first," said Jenson Button.

He also took issue with boss Ross Brawn's comments that a new deal with Button is "99 per cent" likely. "I wouldn't put a percentage on anything," said Button.