BUTTON’s move to McLaren has been the major talking point for most of the media in the past week. His decision to join the Woking team came as a shock to many, particularly following the announcement that BrawnGP has been bought out by Daimler AG and would run as a Mercedes- Benz factory team.
The new world champion insists that his decision is not linked to the financial situation, but rather his ideal of setting himself challenges. Indeed it would appear that Mercedes was willing to match or even exceed the reputed £18m three-year deal McLaren are reputed to have offered.
Joining fellow Brit and former world champion Lewis Hamilton is certainly going to be a challenge as he is well ensconced at McLaren and has been for many years. The last occasion when a British team had an all-British driver line-up was 1966, when the late Colin Chapman’s Lotus squad paired Jim Clark and Graham Hill, both world champions, Clark in 1963 and 1965 and Hill in 1962.
Many of the F1 pundits are suggesting that Button is going to have a problem with the car as it has probably been designed around Hamilton’s aggressive driving style. Hamilton prefers a setup which is the exact opposite of Button’s; he likes to have a lot of rear end movement that allows him to slide it through the slow and medium corners. Button’s preference is a stable platform that suits his smooth driving.
But one has to ask has the new car reached such a stage of development that it is built around the former world champion’s requirements? As there has been no testing so far that is difficult to confirm or deny. The new rules must make a considerable difference, especially the non-refuelling situation. Without the stop to top up the tanks the only reason a driver would need to visit the pits in the 2010 season would be for a tyre change. This is perhaps the area where Button’s driving style could be an advantage. A smoother driving style means less wear on the tyres and consequently more laps without a stop .
Even without refuelling a pit stop is going to take 20 to 30 seconds as the entry, exit and pit lane have speed restrictions and if the second car is still out on track with a clear road ahead a definite time advantage is gained.
The real irony would be that with an all-British team we may not have a British Grand Prix, as there does not seem to be any final agreement between the British Racing Drivers Club, owners of the Silverstone circuit, and F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.
President of the BRDC, Damon Hill, confirmed they were close to a deal but it was the long-term considerations causing the delay. In an interview with The Times, Hill said: “The club does not want to sign up for something that puts it in peril. Bernie doesn’t care whether you lose your shirt or not, he wants to deal with someone who can take a chance. There is a point at which it becomes a fine line between signing or not.”
For the sake of F1 fans I hope that this issue can be resolved. The loss of a classic, historic circuit would be a tragedy for the sport .