Motorsport: Button's future best with us, says Brawn

Ross Brawn broke his silence yesterday to publicly address rumours that Formula One world champion Jenson Button will join rival team McLaren next season.

Speaking exclusively, Brawn strongly advised the 29-year-old British driver that it is in his own best interests to remain at the team that took him to the world title this season, and dismissed the widespread reports that Button has already signed a deal with McLaren that would see him drive alongside Lewis Hamilton in an all-British "dream team".

"Negotiations [with Button] are continuing and the reports that he has already agreed terms with McLaren are not helpful. I would be amazed if that were the case," said Brawn, who is sufficiently relaxed about the situation to be heading off on a fishing holiday.

"His best future is with our team, where he has a good group around him, and there's a lot to be said for that," continued Brawn. "The logical thing would be for him to stay with us, but of course logic doesn't always prevail."

Brawn, widely perceived to have saved Button's Formula One career by providing him with a car capable of winning the world championship, last spoke to the driver at the weekend.

On both Friday and Monday, Button fuelled rumours by making a very public tour of the McLaren headquarters in Woking, and his manager Richard Goddard has began talking seriously to McLaren.

Button is believed to be hoping that the takeover of Brawn GP by Mercedes, announced on Monday, will give him greater leverage in contract negotiations.

The deal, which saw the car manufacturer take a 75 per cent stake in the team that won the constructors' championship, renamed Mercedes F1, is reported to have made Ross Brawn, as majority shareholder, at least £35m (NZ$78.9m) - some estimates put the figure closer to £70m.

Brawn is is understood to have offered Button a basic salary of £4m with the freedom to boost that figure by signing personal endorsements and sponsorships.

McLaren has offered at least £2m more, but would deny the world champion as much freedom to chase his own commercial deals.

This week, Brawn GP chief executive Nick Fry made it clear the Mercedes takeover did not mean that offer would be raised.

"We've had discussions with Jenson on what we think is a sensible salary and this is not going to change anything," Fry said. "We're running with a budget that is probably less than most of the others and that's what Mercedes likes."

A small but growing number of observers now believe Button is increasingly likely to remain with Ross Brawn under the Mercedes banner.

Bernie Ecclestone, the sport's commercial rights controller, is among those to have questioned the likelihood of a move to McLaren.

"It's not ideal for F1 to have two world champions in the same team," he said yesterday. "Button and Brawn are probably just sparring and something will be worked out."

- THE INDEPENDENT