Jenson Button going to WILLIAMS

[Matra et Alpine]

Wow, that was a shock !!!

Here's the announcement cut-and-pasted from itv-f1.com ....

Jenson Button will make a sensational return to Williams next year, according to reports.

Button rejoins the team he made his F1 debut with in 2000. He will partner Mark Webber in an all-new driver line-up.

The Brit said: "I am very pleased that I had the option to re-join the BMW Williams team where my Formula 1 career started.

"For the meantime the 2004 season has my full focus and attention.

"Beyond this, I have every confidence that the massive investment in resources and the depth of talent at Williams and BMW provides the best platform for my future ambitions to be a world champion."

Frank Williams made his move after Button's current team BAR allowed their contractual option on his services to lapse.

Williams told BBC Radio Five Live: "He has been under option to his present team BAR for some time.

"The option expired recently and Button's management called us to say that the option was no longer valid and would we be interested in his services - and of course I reacted as you might expect me to.

"I think they (BAR) probably wanted to take up the option but whether they've executed or not will come out in due course."

Button has signed a two year contract with the team. Asked if he thought the Brit could win the world championship in that time, Williams said: "If we give him a good enough car, most certainly yes.

"He's on a strong upward path, every drive he improves."

The move comes as a massive shock because Button and BAR have made huge strides this season. The 24-year-old's name had not even been mentioned in rumours over Williams' 2005 driver line-up.

BAR are also 29 points ahead of Williams in the constructors' championship.

Asked why he thought Button had made the decision to return, Williams said: "He started with us in 2000 and we've been in very close contact all of the time since.

"Maybe he just harboured a wish (to return) and recognised we had spent tens of millions of pounds reinvesting in the company technically speaking.

"Maybe he recognises we have a greater opportunity of providing him a world championship car than his present team.

"I haven't asked him the real answer yet."

Ironically, the move could prevent Button from becoming a grand prix winner this season. Departing drivers are usually frozen out of teams' development programmes, meaning colleague Takuma Sato is likely to have first call on any new innovations.



So what might this mean for Coulthard ? BAR????

[Homem de Gelo]

I'm shocked.

There were no rumours, it just came to be! This means will have sensational battles between teammates next year, Raikkonen x Montoya, Alonso x Fisichella and now Webber x Button. Too bad none of that ever happens at Ferrari.

And what about BAR? Are they keeping Sato? Who will they go after that's good enough to replace Button: Coulthard, Hakkinen?

This season has been the most exciting in a long time in regards to teams and their altering line-ups.

What is the next surprise?

[Ferrari Tifosi]

Interesting, Button and Webber should make a great combination at Williams. The silly season is in full fling and its shaping up next year to be a great world championship season. Maybe Coulthard will go to BAR, we'll just have to wait and find out.

[fpv_gtho]

If Williams ever wanted to prove they were serious about winning another championship, i think this is it. Now we just have to see if David Richards gives Alex Davison Button's vacating seat.

[fpv_gtho]

There were no rumours, it just came to be!

Well both Webber and Button seemed to top the list as a replacement driver when we all thought it was only Montoya leaving. I suppose when Frank Williams couldnt have Fisichella, he took the next best thing.

[DasModell]

a shock indeed .. but now williams has one of the best line-ups .. right there with McLaren and close to Ferrari .. if they get a good car .it's gonna be interesting . at least for WCC .. because for the WDC . they will take points from each other ..

[motorsportnerd]

A colleague told me about twenty minutes ago that Webber may not be the number 1 at Williams next year. He said Williams had just signed a driver and asked me to guess. I guessed Villenueve. When he said Button, I almost fell out of my seat. That was a bolt from the blue.
So now we have two hard nosed competitors at Williams next year, both trying to gain dominence over each other and within the team. It will be interesting.
So, some interesting inter-team battles next year.
Alonso won't have any trouble with Fisichella. However the Montoya-Raikkonen and Button-Webber battles could result in bruised egos and tears.

Also, F1-Live.com says that BAR is almost certain to sign Anthony Davidson.

The Button announcement leaves Coulthard and Heidfield a little in the cold. I assume Heidfield will now stay with Jordan, leaving Coulthard to chose between Sauber, Jaguar and Toyota.

Also, in other F1 news, Toyota has dropped De Matta for the rest of the season and replaced him with Zonta. Australian driver Ryan Briscoe has been promoted to the Friday team. A chance for both to show their worth.

[Cotterik]

Now this is a shock, am i dreaming?

Button was settling in perfectly at BAR, there seemed no reason for him to move to another team

Nevertheless, I'm happy for my team And i couldnt wish for a better driver line-up in a British team. Webber & Button

Cant wait till next season..!!

[Matra et Alpine]

from BBC News ....

BAR fight to keep Button

BAR team principal Dave Richards has vowed to stop Jenson Button joining Williams next season and claims the deal is "premature and invalid".
Richards stated: "We intend to enforce our current contract with Jenson."

Button, who has signed a two-year deal with Williams, can leave BAR if they risk losing their Honda engine supply.

But Honda renewed their supply deal two weeks ago and Richards told BBC Five Live: "This is ridiculous and we will challenge it. I am dumbfounded."

"It's not about contracts. We'll have to speak to Jenson and discuss it," he added.

Button has enjoyed a successful season with BAR and is third in the drivers' championship with 61 points from 12 races.

And the team claim that they have taken up an option for the 24-year-old to remain as one of their drivers.

Richards said: "I have numerous emails from Jenson's management suggesting that it's a formality he will stay with the team not just next year but the year after.

"Anyone up and down the paddock will suggest that we had one of the most content drivers, one of the most successful drivers.

"He is someone whom two years ago wasn't having a great time and we brought forward as a great member of our team."

Richards insisted "it would be unfair to criticise Jenson until we can personally find out what is going on" but added that "400 people at the factory want an explanation."

However Williams have hit back, saying that there are no problems with the validity of Button's move.

"A number of days ago we were informed by Jenson's legal team that the option was not taken up and he was available," Williams technical director Sam Michael told BBC Five Live.

"We put in place a contract with Jenson and we wouldn't go down that route without getting our own legal opinion.

"Our opinion supports Jenson's legal and management team so as far as we are concerned the contract is valid."


Sad reflection on F1 that this is more interesting than the racing !!!!

[Mustang]

Sad reflection on F1 that this is more interesting than the racing !!!!

unfortunately that is too true , i would like to see JEnson stay with BAR , favourite team with favourite driver

[NAZCA C2]

How the heck! Why would he go to Williams? BAR looks like a team that could be a real championship contender next year and Williams looks like they are on the downslide. I think Button is making a mistake.

[Matra et Alpine]

How the heck! Why would he go to Williams?

A rumoured FOUR-fold increase in salary

[Ferrari Tifosi]

Has there been an actual statement by Button yet, or is this just a bunch of talk by both teams???

[byronleehk]

"Beyond this, I have every confidence that the massive investment in resources and the depth of talent at Williams and BMW provides the best platform for my future ambitions to be a world champion."

Could this be his reason for leaving BAR?

[Coventrysucks]

Sniff Petrol is on the ball this month!

BMW-Williams staff are said to be "extremely pleased" after news broke this week that Jenson Button will return to the team for the 2005 F1 season. "When it was confirmed that Montoya was leaving we knew we needed a replacement of equal quality," confirmed one insider. "And we are confident that Louise Griffiths is at least as fit as Connie".
A Williams spokesman confirmed that everyone at the factory was very impressed with the progress Button has made since he last drove for the team back in 2000. "We've been keeping a close eye on Jenson and you'd have to say that since he was last here he really has managed to hang on to a right hottie," he said. "Having a saucy girl hanging about the pit garage is very important. It gives the engineers something to look at during the boring bits of the race when they're not changing tyres and stuff".
However, with Button filling the Montoya role of bringing his tasty misses to every race, sources close to Mark Webber say the Australian driver is less happy that he will be required to fill Ralf Schumacher's boots. "For some reason Frank has asked Mark to dress more neatly," said one friend. "And he keeps sending him CDs of high energy disco music".
There were no such concerns for Jenson though and the youthful British ace is said to be "delighted" at the prospect of joining a team whose racing car seems to be less good than the one he currently drives.

I don't think that Williams will be challenging for the championship any time soon.
They keep coming out with cars that, in theory, should destroy the opposition. They get these hugely powerful BMW engines, good chassis, and then for some inexplicable reason, they keep coming in at the middle of the field.
McLaren's car is rubbish, the chassis is dodgy, and the engine is down on power and unreliable, they have been incredibly lucky to get both cars to the finish, but they are still able to challenge Ferrari. Why can't Williams?

They are the team equivalent of David Coulthard.