Oct.20 (GMM) Both Jenson Button and the bosses of Brawn GP are confident the new world champion is not about to switch to a rival team for 2010.
The two sides are reportedly at odds over the size of 29-year-old's retainer, after Button this year agreed to slash his pay from nearly $13m to less than $5m amid the management buyout, before going on to win the drivers' championship."He wants to be with us and we'd like him to stay with us, so that is a good starting point," said Nick Fry, chief executive of the Brackley based team."I wouldn't like to say how far apart we are in money terms, but it's a bridge that can be crossed," he added.Team principal Ross Brawn said the driver question, with Rubens Barrichello expected to switch to Williams next year on a substantially higher fee, will be discussed "over the next few weeks"."We're not Honda any more," he said, referring to the Japanese car giant who originally appointed both Button and Barrichello before the team was sold for a symbolic British pound."We've got to find the balance between what Jenson's happy and motivated with, and what we can afford. I'm sure we will," Brawn added.Button also indicated that a new deal is likely."I would like to stay with Brawn, it's just that the talks haven't taken place, that's it, really," he said of the reported disagreements.
