Button to Williams!
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From: West Henrietta UPSTATE NY
Originally Posted by ITR Racer,Aug 8 2004, 01:59 PM
Oh well, i've lost some respect for him {JB}.....i hope he sucks next year at Williams.....
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From: West Henrietta UPSTATE NY
From everything I have read this whole issue is still up in the air.
- Richards says the BAR contract is solid and Button is not going anywhere.
- Then Richards says he will remove Button from the car for the remaining season.
- Richards says Button is a man with no integrity and should be ashamed of himself for this move.
- Button then says Richards is a dishonest man and has not kept up his promised performance incentives.
- Bernie, the man of greed himself says Button will loose his supercar license if the FIA finds he broke contract.
- Frank says they found a legitimate loophole in the contract and he wants his boy back
So, when will this thing be in court and when will we finally know what's up?
- Richards says the BAR contract is solid and Button is not going anywhere.
- Then Richards says he will remove Button from the car for the remaining season.
- Richards says Button is a man with no integrity and should be ashamed of himself for this move.
- Button then says Richards is a dishonest man and has not kept up his promised performance incentives.
- Bernie, the man of greed himself says Button will loose his supercar license if the FIA finds he broke contract.
- Frank says they found a legitimate loophole in the contract and he wants his boy back
So, when will this thing be in court and when will we finally know what's up?
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From: Toronto & FnF ssauga
I think DR should leave all well alone.. make a driver stay , and then what ? have a non motivated , non team player ?
look what happened with "newey-gate" .. jag poached newey last year, and then ron got him back using this same DR tactics, and the engineering of the mclaren was and IS still is never the same..
look what happened with "newey-gate" .. jag poached newey last year, and then ron got him back using this same DR tactics, and the engineering of the mclaren was and IS still is never the same..
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From: West Henrietta UPSTATE NY
Simon, you are a wise man, I will be on your team any day of the week!
Richards is fooling himself if he thinks he can force a driver to stay and then expect him to perform at 100%.
Frankly (pun intended for FW) speaking, Button was his find and after he let him go he said he wanted him back someday, well now it is someday.
Richards is fooling himself if he thinks he can force a driver to stay and then expect him to perform at 100%.
Frankly (pun intended for FW) speaking, Button was his find and after he let him go he said he wanted him back someday, well now it is someday.
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From: Toronto
WOW...go away for a week and this happens....
I have to agree with Simon too...no point in forcing him to stay.
My feeling is that JB is making a mistake...I think Honda is going to be better than Williams next year and that opens a seat in a top car for someone. Damn I wish JT could get that seat instead of the Toyota...
I have to agree with Simon too...no point in forcing him to stay.
My feeling is that JB is making a mistake...I think Honda is going to be better than Williams next year and that opens a seat in a top car for someone. Damn I wish JT could get that seat instead of the Toyota...
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From: West Henrietta UPSTATE NY
I am laughing my ass off over this one...
Anyway, Richards is left to face the music. Lest we forget, he is in essence an employee of BAR and not a founder/owner like Frank, Ron, Peter Sauber or Eddie Jordan. If he screws up, he can be kicked out, and he could well be fighting right now to save his job, which is why he has to be seen to be making a big fuss and putting his case across in the media. He is insisting that Jenson will drive next year after all, and he has to. It's nonsense, of course. The lawyers can argue all they want, but Button has indicated where his intentions lie, and realistically having him back just isn't going to work.
One can feel sorry for Richards, but this is a hard business. A year ago he was playing a game of wits with Jacques Villeneuve that was ultimately resolved in his favour. This time a driver appears to have got the better of him. Ironically both scenarios damaged him with elements of the BAT management, the guys who ultimately sign the cheques. While this year everything has gone his way, not so long ago his future with the organisation was by no means guaranteed.
Richards needs Button. It seems to be the case that the technicality that got Jenson out involved Honda's contract extension and its timing. Ironically it could be that one of the reasons why Honda was happy to extend was because it thought that Jenson would be on board. A related issue is that BAR is almost totally devoid of significant subsidiary sponsors. It's likely that negotiations are in hand (or are already completed) that rely on the rising star being around next year.
...but I do not feel sorry for Richards!
Anyway, Richards is left to face the music. Lest we forget, he is in essence an employee of BAR and not a founder/owner like Frank, Ron, Peter Sauber or Eddie Jordan. If he screws up, he can be kicked out, and he could well be fighting right now to save his job, which is why he has to be seen to be making a big fuss and putting his case across in the media. He is insisting that Jenson will drive next year after all, and he has to. It's nonsense, of course. The lawyers can argue all they want, but Button has indicated where his intentions lie, and realistically having him back just isn't going to work.
One can feel sorry for Richards, but this is a hard business. A year ago he was playing a game of wits with Jacques Villeneuve that was ultimately resolved in his favour. This time a driver appears to have got the better of him. Ironically both scenarios damaged him with elements of the BAT management, the guys who ultimately sign the cheques. While this year everything has gone his way, not so long ago his future with the organisation was by no means guaranteed.
Richards needs Button. It seems to be the case that the technicality that got Jenson out involved Honda's contract extension and its timing. Ironically it could be that one of the reasons why Honda was happy to extend was because it thought that Jenson would be on board. A related issue is that BAR is almost totally devoid of significant subsidiary sponsors. It's likely that negotiations are in hand (or are already completed) that rely on the rising star being around next year.
...but I do not feel sorry for Richards!
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From: Ottawa
Ahh, a lot of this is just spin control now. Maybe some childish whining and payback too.
The only party that comes off smelling good after this is Frank Williams. If he gets JB, he has a solid driver line up for '05 and deals a setback to BAR. If JB is legally blocked or is stripped of his FIA superlicense, he essentially neutralizes the biggest points getter of BAR for the rest of the season. JB gets screwed, but FW can just keep looking or dangle that carrot in front of Pizzonia. Either way BAR is scrambling and any potential $$ sponsors were probably linked on JB being there.
The problem is that a lot of the known quantity drivers are already spoken for or "won't be allowed" to drive at BAR. All the replacement rumours I've read are about digging Mikka out of the retirement home. The others are just idle hopes for Richards to suck down his ego and recall JV. Talk about longshot transition plans.
The only party that comes off smelling good after this is Frank Williams. If he gets JB, he has a solid driver line up for '05 and deals a setback to BAR. If JB is legally blocked or is stripped of his FIA superlicense, he essentially neutralizes the biggest points getter of BAR for the rest of the season. JB gets screwed, but FW can just keep looking or dangle that carrot in front of Pizzonia. Either way BAR is scrambling and any potential $$ sponsors were probably linked on JB being there.
The problem is that a lot of the known quantity drivers are already spoken for or "won't be allowed" to drive at BAR. All the replacement rumours I've read are about digging Mikka out of the retirement home. The others are just idle hopes for Richards to suck down his ego and recall JV. Talk about longshot transition plans.
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From: West Henrietta UPSTATE NY
Marco, You are right, in one week all hell broke loose!
I have to say, I sort of disagree with you.
I do agree that Honda is looking better than BMW or has so far this season.
But I disagree that Button may be making a mistake. From what I have read Richards/BAR has acted like a dirt bag when it comes to Button's performance incentives (extra monies given for points earned) and if half of the stories are true, I don't blame Jensen for wanting to get out.
I have to say, I sort of disagree with you.
I do agree that Honda is looking better than BMW or has so far this season.
But I disagree that Button may be making a mistake. From what I have read Richards/BAR has acted like a dirt bag when it comes to Button's performance incentives (extra monies given for points earned) and if half of the stories are true, I don't blame Jensen for wanting to get out.
