Whitmarsh: Button to stay at McLaren in 2012

F1 Fanatic round-up

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In the round-up: Martin Whitmarsh says Jenson Button will stay with McLaren in 2012.

Links

Top F1 links from the past 24 hours:

Button will stay with McLaren, insists Martin Whitmarsh (BBC)

Martin Whitmarsh: “I can guarantee you that he will be with us next year. We both want to work together for a long period of time. It’s a non-issue.”

‘Talk is cheap’ says Red Bull’s Formula One chief after Ferrari jibes (The Guardian)

Christian Horner: “I think we’ve earned respect in the pit-lane. We don’t disrespect or underestimate the achievements of our peers, but we’re very much focused about what happens on the circuit.”

Pirelli to approach FIA over camber (Autosport)

Paul Hembery: “I think in a race like Monza, because of the high speed, it can create issues with blistering. So we would be prudent to ask for it to be maintained and enforced. That is something we will have to talk to the FIA about tonight.”

Whitmarsh confirms tax dispute could threaten Indian GP

“It’s a serious issue and it needs to be resolved. And the teams need to receive the appropriate reassurance to be able to go to India.”

Robert Kubica’s manager: "No doubts" he will recover fully from injury (James Allen)

“There were some concerns about the range of movement he might have prior to the most recent operation on his right elbow. But having gained full mobility as a result of the intervention, neurosurgeons now say the way is clear for him to recover.”

Eric Boullier: “Bruno brought with him his enthusiasm” (Renault)

“Everybody thinks Bruno [Senna] came with a bunch of money, which is wrong, obviously. The only link was Embratel. Yes, Embratel was a personal sponsor of Bruno and this is clearly linked to Bruno. This is clear, nothing to hide. The two others, or the three others actually, are not related to Bruno.”

Italian GP – Conference 2 (FIA)

Peter Sauber: “I think our problem is the hot-blowing diffuser, the hot-blowing exhaust. That’s our problem. The system doesn’t work very well and then we stopped the whole development around Barcelona as in this time, not only us, we had the opinion that it will be forbidden from Silverstone onwards.”

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Comment of the day

I’ve seen more reports from readers who say they’ve encountered restrictions on using certain cameras at races. This from cdowding who went to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix:

SLR and D-SLR cameras are not allowed (or anything that resembles a D-SLR) but small compacts are allowed. This is something that is put in place by the concert organisers. If you have one of the cameras above there are ‘camera cloakrooms’ you can leave them whilst you attend the concerts.
cdowding

From the forum

We’ve had the best circuit map spotted in an unusual place so far. Can anyone shed any light?

Happy birthday!

No F1 Fanatic birthdays today. If you want a birthday shout-out tell us when yours is by emailling me, using Twitter or adding to the list here.

On this day in F1

Tragedy struck at Monza 50 years ago today. Wolfgang von Trips and 15 spectators were killed following a crash on the second lap of the race.

An article on this tragic point in F1 history will be published here late today.

Image © McLaren

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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27 comments on “Whitmarsh: Button to stay at McLaren in 2012”

  1. We’ve had the best circuit map spotted in an unusual place so far. Can anyone shed any light?

    I think I’m winning this one so far – Jerez appeared (for absolutely no reason that I can figure out) on the cover of a single released by a German metal band in 1984.

    1. That’s the one the link points to.

  2. that’s the most well-rounded round-up around.

  3. Button staying at McLaren next year was never the story, there was an option, there was a contract. We aren’t any further forward.
    And despite BBC correspondents getting over-excited, even this minor procedural formality still hasn’t actually been officially announced. They are reporting nothing.

    It is the shape of any subsequent deal that we don’t know, that we still don’t know. Button wanting to be out of contract for 2013 is obvious, either for a better car, coupla candidates, or to test the market for a final big pay-day.
    That was always the plan from day one, no? Go up against Hamilton, take the gamble, hold your own, and then collect.

    I’d assume Button’s people have long since sketched-out and given Whitmarsh an eye-watering fantasy offer to re-up, and right now there is still a long way to go before both sides get anywhere close to meeting near the middle … if they ever will.
    If it was gonna be signed, you’d have to think it probably would have been all done by now, it’s Monza already. We wouldn’t see Martin having to conduct negotiations and his courtship through the media.

    1. But last time around we had Button publicly saying he would have welcomed it if McLaren had already confirmed taking up the option.

      This story answers that call with a clear statement of intent to sign Button up for next year and the years after that.

      I think that with all parties wanting the deal, they can easily take the time to discuss the details, nothing to hurry about.

  4. I’m sorry but would Robert Kubica’s manager please pipe down. It’s too early to say if he’ll return to 100% driving ability. The manager should stop trying to peak interest, and land himself a paycheck until Robert is actually fully healed and driving.

    The next steps are that he will undergo four more weeks of intensive therapy to help build muscle strength in his right arm; he is currently doing five to six hours a day, seven days a week.

    I have had nerve damage, and as happened to me, the smallest of things cann set recovery back well over a year.So I’ll listen to the manager in four weeks..

    But, as always, I wish you a speedy recovery Robert.

    As one of the biggest, yet rational, Hamilton fans, I can say I’m very pleased to hear McLaren will be retaining Button. He’s a driver who’s been around the block, had his fair share of crashes, and can continue to guide Hamilton to become a true great champion, if Hamilton is receptive to Button’s lessons of course.
    Plus, those two drivers, a decent car from the beginning of the season, means a very good shout for the Constructors Championship which has eluded McLaren for so long.

    1. Im sure if you were his manager you would do the same. Any manager that came out saying anything otherwise would soon be looking for a new client.

      1. Yeah but then again, I would never be a manager, because theyre all money seeking mugs.
        You can’t justify him talking hot air because he’s a manager.
        Think of it this way, we all hate that politicians lie, but if we were politicians we would probably lie. Anyone can say “you would do it too” but thats just not an argument

  5. I don’t find any negative reason why Button shouldn’t stay in Mclaren for the rest of his life?

    1. The only thing I can think is to drive for Ferrari, which I believe was one of his career aims. But if he’s settled where he is I’d like to see him stay thee.

      1. @matt90
        His partnership with Mclaren looks promising I hope he stays here.

      2. If I were him I’d be happy. McLaren are the strongest British team and he is lucky to drive for them and he is doing a good job.

    2. I think they might be putting some get out clauses in for Button to be able to go if the team runs into trouble with their engine choice in 2014, as an example?
      So he will not be forced to sit in an uncompetative car by then.

      And the money will certainly be a bit of a back forth discussion as well as getting sponsor occasions etc. regulated.

  6. Bruno brings money and some talents

    BETTER than Petrov

    1. I forget: who crashed into Jaime Alguersuari at La Source again? Was it Senna or Petrov?

  7. Kimi Raikkonen has been excluded from the WRC standings.

    1. Yes, that is interesting. Kimi losing interest in WRC, or ran out of money/chose not to spend any more?

  8. Some great articles to read today.

    I’m thinking of Kubica again today. Thinking of his poor body and the amount of healing required and how slow that can be with tendons, etc., I’m wondering whether he’s not going to also need the whole of next year to convalesce.

    We’re all eager to see him back in a racing car. But, I had a strange thought the other day: is he even able to drive a Fiat Panda at the moment?

    I think this is going to be an even longer journey than most of us expected and I wish him all the very best.

    1. As his manager said, he is able to drive, just it would put his revalidation at risk so he doesn’t do it yet.

      I must say i agree with you on being sure we will se Kubica racing a car again. But I am not at all sure he will be doing F1.

      But yeah, I wish Robert a good recovery and hope he will be showing us his racing skills on track again.

  9. I cannot see Button anywhere but McLaren for the rest of his career. I guess, in a fairy tale land, it would be nice to go back to Williams once Rubens retires, but given their current guise I can’t see him anywhere near them.

    I’ve seen some people with fairly hefty cameras in Monza but can’t say I’ve seen anyone being told off.

    1. I’ve seen some people with fairly hefty cameras in Monza but can’t say I’ve seen anyone being told off.

      That’s because the Comment of the Day isn’t talking about Monza – it’s talking about Abu Dhabi.

  10. 10 September is a somewhat tragic day when it comes to Monza – not only did Wolfgang von Trips perish in 1961 (handing his American team-mate the title), but Ronnie Peterson’s crash occurred on 10/9/78 (handing his American team-mate the title), and the marshall died on 10/9/00.

    And there were apparently 3 driver fatalities at Monza on 10/9/33.

  11. Ferrari are both stupid and disrespectful. They really think Red Bull’s success is down to one man but the aero department is just as much a team effort as it is at Ferrari, Newey doesn’t do it all on his own. As usual with arrogant people, when they lose they have to downplay others achievements instead of criticising their own.

    1. I agree!
      If you downplay what the others are doing when they are trouncing you, you are automatically talking your self down as well.
      Ferrari has to be really desperate to shoot that low.

  12. Funny find McLaren have come up with, its Elvis Presley driving the first McLaren car!

  13. Well, McLaren would have been out of their minds to let Button go. They probably have the best driver line-up on the grid at the moment.

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