IT HAPPENED!!!!!!!

[Liz]

Button axed by Williams

Jenson Button will be replaced by ChampCar star Juan-Pablo Montoya at Williams next season according to reports in today’s motorsport press.

Montoya, who recently became the first rookie driver to win the Indy 500 since Graham Hill in 1966, is regarded as world championship-winning material and Williams feel the Colombian is a better short-term bet than Button.

Williams have Button on a rolling contract and will offer the 20-year-old to a rival outfit so the youngster can gain Formula 1 experience.

The story in today’s Autosport magazine claims that Frank Williams has already made his decision despite the team claiming publicly that nothing would be decided until after next weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix. The magazine was the first to break the news when Williams controversially replaced Damon Hill with Heinz-Harald Frentzen for the 1997 season.

Montoya’s signing will start a scramble among the other F1 teams to try and secure Button’s signature.

Jordan could provide a refuge for Button. Eddie Jordan would relish the opportunity to hone Button’s talents having launched the F1 careers of the likes of Michael and Ralf Schumacher, Eddie Irvine, Rubens Barrichello and Giancarlo Fisichella.

Button would suit Jordan’s extrovert image and the team would be a good place for Button to learn about F1 in a less pressured environment.

Button would replace Heinz-Harald Frentzen, who has been linked with a big money move to Jaguar. The manufacturer wants to increase its presence in the important German car market.

BAR and Prost could also provide a berth or Button, but the young Brit wouldn’t relish a move to these teams.

[Diabando]

OMG!! We knew it was going to happen...but this leaves so many questions...

I think for SURE Button will go to Jordan...and replace HHF.

HHF to Jaguar...Herbert retires.

Ferrari will stay the same.

question is....McLaren??

AND...how do the folks in USA feel about F1 taking all their good drivers...and then, discarding them (I think of Zanardi)...we must be getting a tad unpopular over there..

[Mr.S]

I don't know if i should be happy or sad......
I like Button, but I think Montoya will do a better job for BMW. Oh well.

Well any way i just read that Eddie Jordan denied Button's giong there, but they allways say that don't they.

[EERO]

Maybe the Little Fella could use a season in F3000.

Actually I still stand behind the Shaguar suggestion; he and Eddie would turn the green paddock into pit babe heaven.

[marcus]

BOOOO HHHIIIISSSSS.

Sir frank has done it again..he just loves playing with drivers doesnt he Nigel mansell,damon Hill,Alex zanardi and now Jenson button..Im not saying its the wrong thing to do as Montoya is very quick but i feel for next year at least he is in for a shock and needs to tame things down a little for F1...but on the Jenson side..who knows where he will go ..perhaps he might replace Montoya over at Ganassi racing ..that would be interesting wouldnt it...but if he stays in F1 lets hope he gets a good ride and be left with a second class ride at BAR or something.

[Ed-f1]

Well, recent history shows that if a williams no. 2 can win more than one race in a season they go on to become world champion...

Jaguar would probably be the best move from Button's point of view because I think it would be more impressive if he could go there and beat Irvine than going to Jordan and beating Trulli.

Good luck to Montoya. He'll need it because being a good driver isn't enough to be successful in a Williams. At least having made the deal now he's got 9 months to learn F1 cars and circuits as opposed to Button's 6 weeks (and about 3 laps) before the season starts.

Mclaren:
no 1 choice: Hakkinen
no 2 choice: Coulthard
no 3 choice: Villeneuve
no 4 choice: Panis
They'll keep Hakkinen and Coulthard if they can. If not they'll try and secure Villeneuve and if they can't do that they'll have Panis in the second car. Simple.

[Peter Mallett]

Well,

Its not exactly surprising but I still contend that Franky has got his wires crossed. there is so much difference between an F1 car and a Champ car that I expect this to be the ruination of Montoya.

Only Mario A and Jaques V have really achieved as converts fron Cart/Indycar. Looking at JV these days you could hardly call him a top ten driver. (I know the car isn't up to it but lets face it, lacklustre is a good description of his performances this year).

So Button at Shaguar would be a good combination. If HHF chooses the leaping cat then EJ will get one of his famous bargain deals.

[Tristan]

Not meaning to sound big-headed, but "I told you so!".

What did I say literally three/four days ago? Pricisely that! DAYS before Autosport et al got hold of it. I have my ear to the ground y'see.

I have other hot and juicy rumours (see "Villeneuve to Jordan" as well as "Button to Jordan..." topics). Ralf Schumacher will be at Ferrari for 2002. It's a done deal.

[Scottie]

Montoya did well as a test driver for the Rothman's Williams cars of Damon & Jacques. I don't think he will have any trouble getting back in the saddle of an F1 car again. Maybe when Juan gets his ride with Williams, Alex Zanardi will drive again for Chip.

[yorkie]

I found the following on www.itv-f1.com

Williams have dismissed reports that a decision has already been made to replace Jenson Button with Juan Pablo Montoya as ‘pure speculation.’

Button, who is on a five-year contract with the Oxfordshire-based team, would be loaned out to another team if he’s replaced – Jaguar, Jordan and BAR are the favourites to secure his services.

But Williams insisted Button's future would not be sorted out until Montoya's American boss Chip Ganassi decides at the end of this month whether to release the Colombian from his ChampCar contract.

"The report is pure speculation," said a Williams spokesman of the story in Thursday's Autosport magazine. "The situation is still the same. Both Frank Williams and Patrick Head (technical director) have said that no decision will be taken until they have heard from Chip Ganassi."

The team have been impressed at the way Button, Britain's youngest ever grand prix driver, has performed this year scoring three points in seven races.

The young driver has outqualified highly-rated team-mate Ralf Schumacher twice, though he is yet to beat him in a race. But the belief is that in Montoya, they might have a driver not only capable of matching Schumacher but beating him.

"Everyone has been writing that Frank and Patrick are looking for someone who can run Ralf close. That's rubbish. They're looking for someone who can blow him away. That might or might not be Montoya," a Williams insider is quoted as saying in Autosport.

Button himself is philosophical about his future: "I hope I will be driving the FW23 next year, but I haven't got a clue," said Button. "I'm just concentrating on my job race by race and I can only do my best.

"I want to stay with Williams next year. I've got a good relationship with them, but if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen."

Draw any conclusions you may from that!!

[Jay]

I have my doubts about how well Montoya will do in F1. I doubt he will be as bad as Zanardi, but I still think people should be cautious about declaring him the next Senna, as the Indy 500 proves little about a drivers ability. When Zanardi was moving to F1 a lot of people said that he would win the championship in his first year.

If I were Frank, I would stick with Jenson. He has proved himself worthy to drive F1, and can even make pace with Ralf sometimes. Montoya has done none of this, and it is doubtful that he could.

[Dannyboy]

yes i agree Jay. Montoya is a gamble. It's clear that although CART cars are meant to be equal the Ganassi machine is superior to the other teams. Juan ran through a field in a superior machine with little real talent racing against him. He will be fine in F1 but nothing special. You can bet Frank will be wary of signing another one of Ganassi's boys.

[Roy2]

It's funny how different people can look at the same set of facts and come up with diametrically opposite opinions. Jay knows that Montoya was the Williams test driver in 1998, has watched him, presumably, since he came to CART, yet doubts if he would do well in F1, doubts his ability, and doubts his pace.

On the other hand, I've watched the same races, have access to the same information about Montoya, and, although caution is usually the wiser course, I have no such doubts.

No one in his right mind predicted that Zanardi would win the F1 championship in his first year. It was well known in advance that 1999 would be a "between" year for Williams. Zanardi never drove the Indianapolis 500, so his failure in F1 proves nothing about the ability of drivers who have won it, Montoya included.

I have no reason to like the cocky, upstart Montoya, other than his driving, which is the most exciting I've ever seen. In F1 he has it all to prove, of course, but I have little doubt that he will do so.

My prediction is that, if he goes to Williams in 2001, he won't just make pace with Ralf. I think he will make the pace too hot for Ralf. We shall see.




[Edited by Roy2 on 9th June 2000]

[EERO]

Thanks Roy2, I agree with you entirely. Given Williams' engine and all new driver line up, no one expected much of anything. Also, I don't think Zanardi and Montoya are in comparable positions. Juan Pablo has driven the current breed of F1 and been fast-the current carts were a complete shock to Zanardi whose style was entirely unsuited to these twitchy knife-edge cars. Montoya is alos much younger than Alex awas when he made his return and I think youth will make him more resilient and adaptable.
There is no certainty that The Montoya God will be the second coming in F1-but I don't doubt that he will be a force to be reckoned with and he just might be the one to upset the equalibrium of TGF.
With a full year behind them inwhich they have already been more competitive than expected, I envision BMW's running at the front next season.

[enemy-ace]

I have to concur with both EERO & Roy2, Montoya has more race experience than Button, not in F1 but in general. And wasn't it not long ago that Button was going to be William's big mistake. I think maybe we should pay homage to Sir Frank's eye for talent. What bothers me most; is that all the excitement that will be generated from a Montoya/Button rivalry will be of the 'what if' variety. We definitely need some changes in F1 so that these 'RACERS' can decide it on the track and not in a SOAP OPERA.
Please somebody let these guys RACE!

[Liz]

JPM has shown he has the ability to win races in a wheelbarrow - and nobody can doubt that he is devoted to his racecraft, rather than chasing women and maximizing his endorsement deals and generating personal PR. From what I have seen of Sir Frank, he likes his "gentlemen" to behave like racers and not like some kind of movie star. I think Montoya will do very well in F1 and will probably be racing until he's 60, in some form of race car, like Mario.

Button, however, will be another Damon Hill, only he wil collapse a lot faster and it will take him longer to realise his day is over.

[Jay]

"No one in his right mind predicted that Zanardi would win the F1 championship in his first year."

I am sorry, a lot of people, who knew a lot about racing said he would challenge for the championship in his first year like JV did. And very nobody said he would be racing with the Minardis.

There is a big difference between the F1 driving style an the Cart style. If Juan still has his bite, he will probably do fine, but I have absolutely no doubt that Ralf will still be the #1 driver at Williams next year.

Montoya will still be a rookie, and rightfully so.

[Dannyboy]

Yes ralf is very, very quick and Montoya will struggle against him. Undoubtedly.

[Liz]

Yes, Senna will undoubtedly struggle having to race on a team with Alain Prost - he'll soon see who is the star of this team and get the spots knocked off him!

That upstart Prost thinks he's so smart, wait until he has raced a couple seasons with the great Niki Lauda, he'll soon be put in his place!

Been there, said that. Oops.

[MichaelC]

From a personal point of view, I think JPM will do OK. He'll run in about the same kind of position JB does, having good races and bad races. After a season they won't kick him out though, because it appears the sun actually does shine out of his arse. Not that I'd know, but it must do the way everyone worships him...

It was mentioned that Williams wouldn't test JPM against JB because they didn't have time or something like that. Dodgy excuse. if the two raced, JB would thrash Montoya, simply because he has more recent experience of the car and circuits. It would not be because he is a better race driver (he may or may not be, I think it's too early to tell). Williams know this, so that's why they aren't going to do that again.

Also, I notice that more and more F1 teams are running F3000 teams as "Junior teams". Williams however, are one that don't. Is Ganassi CART racing becoming the Williams Junior Team??

[Liz]

If I were Jimmy Vasser, I would not hold my breath.

[Peter Mallett]

As has been said above. We don't really know how good an F1 racer JPM is. We do know he's good at racing in a lesser class and I'm not surprised he whips the opposition in Champ cars. He did the same in F3000, which is also a lesser class.

Mansell did the same when he went to the USA and showed them how to race. However, he was a champion on the world stage not a champion in a national championship.

Cart drivers just don't get the pressures that an F1 driver gets. (For better or worse). Its all very well saying that the tracks are harder. They may well be. I'm not really interested in arguments comparing the two. The evidence speaks for itself. (Mikey A and Alex A are extremely good examples.

So. If Team Willy really wants to waste its money then let it. I hope it doesn't damage an obvious talent (JPM), because having seen him, I can't believe it will really bother Button.

[Dannyboy]

Sorry Liz, but we say it as we see it. If i'm wrong then so be it. I just find it funny how any driver for Williams in the 90's was assured of a championship but when JPM wins the CART championship for Ganassi(the fourth consecutive one)it must be the result of his superior talent. Ganassi has dominated for four years - throw any decent driver in that seat and he would win. JPM will be fine in F1 but Ralf is very quick and it would not surprise me to see the Columbian struggle.

[Jay]

I doubt the Columbian will struggle, but I don't think he will win the WC either. My guess is he will do about as well as Jensen Button is doing this year. Although he may do a little better because the WIlliams will probably be faster next year.

If you want to hear something intersting go to the Indy Car forum where everybody is 100% convinced that JPM will win the 2001 World Championship. Ridiculous isn't it?

[Mr.S]

Just wondering, has anyone here actually watched Montoya race? (On TV of course)

I'm not a champ car fan, but I did see JM on a qualifying lap on some American road course, I half expected the wheels to fall of, amazing stuff. That guy is fast!

P.S.-I'm hoping to see him in person this year, I'm going to the Molson Indy Vancouver.