Briatore wants Button out?

Ralf's Girl · 13 Sep 2001, 19:34 (Ref:145738)

BBC Ceefax and ITV1 TeleText have both been reporting today that Flavio Briatore offered Jenson Button the chance to leave Benetton at the end of this season. He also said in today's press conference, when asked if Alonso would be driving for Renault next year:

"I don't know yet. We haven't decided. We start the season in March."

This strikes me as rather interesting - IMO, Briatore doesn't actually want Button to drive for his team. He has told Button to get his act together and start performing at the end of this season, and that doesn't sound to me like a man fully backing his driver. Of course, if Button is sacked and replaced by Alonso that will have even more benefit for Mr. Briatore because it leaves a seat at Minardi going begging for Mark Webber...

JeremySmith · 13 Sep 2001, 20:09 (Ref:145762)

Well he did the same with Fissi do you remember? Mr Falvio Briatori is a bit of a bully..

jiggly_puff · 13 Sep 2001, 20:12 (Ref:145764)

NOOOOOOOOO he can't get rid of Jenson!!!!! where will he go?

Inigo Montoya · 13 Sep 2001, 21:09 (Ref:145792)

I just can't decide which team boss I hate the most:

Briatore (for this story)
Jordan (for treatment of HHF)
Dennis (for any number of stupid comments)
Williams (for dusting aside Button to make room for Mr. Engine Blow)

**Bononi** · 13 Sep 2001, 21:39 (Ref:145811)

Inigo, name a good one !

Prost ? (Ask Alesi)
Walkinshaw ? (Ask Diniz... and many others)
Totd ? (Ask Irvine)

Inigo Montoya · 13 Sep 2001, 21:48 (Ref:145817)

Bononi,
You've got a point there

Maybe Stoddard? Its soon, I know, but he seems like a nice enough bloke.

jiggly_puff · 13 Sep 2001, 21:53 (Ref:145819)

i def can't stand todt the most!!!!!!!!!! he just annoys the hell out of me

f1manoz · 13 Sep 2001, 22:12 (Ref:145833)

There are plenty more deserving, more hard-working drivers out there who deserve the second seat at Benetton. I still can't believe they let Fisichella go, who has put up with four years of bad cars, bad luck, only to be dumped when things are starting to look good in the future.

As for Button, he should consider himself lucky he hasn't been dumped yet. He's done worse than Wurz.

**Bononi** · 13 Sep 2001, 22:56 (Ref:145852)

Yeah, Inigo. Maybe Stoddard, but he's a newbie...

As for Button, I have absolutely nothing to say about him...

**bella** · 13 Sep 2001, 23:25 (Ref:145856)

paul stoddard talks utter pants. at first, you kinda believed him, now it's just 'oh, yeah, heard that one before..'

Martin de Miguel · 13 Sep 2001, 23:37 (Ref:145861)

I am sorry for Jenson, but F1 is about quality and F1 will improve his quality if Alonso gets his seat.
Anyway I just want to add that if you guys check my profile you could see I live in NYC, and my everyday job is only four blocks (400meters) from what it was the World Trade Center, fortunately I took off to Europe last week working on a project, my thoughts as well on the forum menbers that I know live in NY as well, I hope everybody is fine.

Big Hug

Ralf's Girl · 14 Sep 2001, 11:05 (Ref:145982)

If Button does go I've thought of 4 teams he could possibly drive for:

- Jordan. Of course, this would mean joining a scrap between Alesi, Wilson and Sato to get the drive.
- Sauber. Now that Raikkonen is leaving there's a seat there, but that is another option for Wilson as well.
- Arrows. Scraping the barrel a bit now - Bernoldi's seat isn't confirmed so if he goes Jenson could partner Verstappen in his place. Whether he would want to or not is another matter.
- Prost. There's a seat going spare there seeing as Frentzen isn't on a contract for 2002, but I really can't see Button wanting to drive for them.

racer69 · 14 Sep 2001, 11:22 (Ref:145991)

2001 has shown contracts mean nothing in F1 nowadays, and in light of what Flav has said i don't think Button will be at Benetton next year.

I reckon:

- Button to Jordan
- Alonso vs Webber for the second Renault seat, whoever loses is off to Prost
- Frentzen back to Sauber
- Someone with money will be at Arrows and Minardi.

Ralf's Girl · 14 Sep 2001, 11:56 (Ref:145998)

I wouldn't be surprised if Alonso gets the second Renault seat and Webber is brought in at Minardi (as Fernando was this year). I would expect Button to end up at Arrows or Sauber. Eddie Jordan would like a British driver but he needs a Japanese driver for Honda and apparently the whole team have been very impressed by Sato's testing times.

Minardi fan · 14 Sep 2001, 12:51 (Ref:146029)

Alonso to Renault, Button to Minardi, Bernoldi to Sauber, Webber or Zonta to Arrows... seeeeeee, now it's ALL falling into place...

I despise Flabio. He has too many drivers contracted to him.

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