There was no ‘Plan B’ for Button in 2009

Franz Tost insisted in a press conference on Monday that Jenson Button and Toro Rosso have never discussed teaming up in 2009.

If a spokesperson for the 29-year-old driver stated that there were other options for Button following Honda’s withdrawal, the Toro Rosso chief denied the rumor that one of them was to replace Buemi with him.

« To be honest, Jenson was never an option for us, » said Tost, despite the fact that Sébastien Bourdais’ confirmation was only announced recently.

« As far as I know, Jenson Button has reached an agreement with Honda, and therefore there have never been any negotiations with him on our part, » added the Austrian.

The Briton who made a thunderous debut with Brawn GP during testing in Barcelona with the fourth fastest time out of 10 cars involved, seems to confirm Tost’s comments by admitting that his plan B for 2009 was not to be racing.

He accepted a salary cut of more than 50% with Ross Brawn’s team to stay in the race.

« What would I do sitting at home? In five or six years, maybe, but that wasn’t my goal for now, » he clarified.

Yesterday, Monday, his father John as well as his teammate Rubens Barrichello were present in the stands of Barcelona to watch him on track.