Brilliant Button set to land new deal
JENSON BUTTON is to be rewarded for his storming start to the Formula One season with the offer of a new contract.
The British ace swept to his fifth win in six races in Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix and now leads the overall standings by 16 points.
Button is only serving a cut-price one-year contract with Brawn GP following the demise of the old Honda team in the closed season.
But Brawn chief executive officer Nick Fry admits the all-conquering team are keen to tie him down on a longer-term deal.
“Jenson’s been with us a long time, and we’ve had failures and we’ve had successes,” he said. “My objective, and our objective, is to have him for the rest of his career, and nothing’s changed on that front.
“It’s mutual that he would like to stay with the team, and after five race wins, we should be able to get something together.”
Button’s roaring start to the new campaign is reminiscent of Michael Schumacher’s dominance in 2004, when under the wing of Ross Brawn at Ferrari, and with Button’s team-mate Rubens Barrichello alongside him, the German claimed victories in the opening five races.
And Brawn, whose team lead the constructors’ championship by a clear 43.5 points in a dream debut season, is beginning to admit to drawing comparisons to the two set-ups.
“Rubens has had his occasions when he beat Michael and he was a pretty strong reference. The fact Jenson’s won these races with Rubens in the team sets the standard.”
Button’s victory on the streets of Monaco on Sunday ensures he will be the championship leader going into his home Grand Prix at Silverstone on 21 June, with the Turkish Grand Prix coming up next, on 7 June.
And the 29-year-old Somerset lad admits he is living the dream.
“Turning up there Silverstone leading the championship, it’s going to be a nice feeling and hopefully I’ll put on a good show in front of the home crowd,” he said.