Brawn GP wants Button for 2010

Jenson Button received a psychological boost ahead of this Sunday’s potentially decisive race for the driver’s title at the Brazilian Grand Prix. His bosses at Brawn GP indicated that they want Jenson Button to stay with the team, rather than his world championship rival, Rubens Barrichello.

Mercedes, absolutely wanting a German driver in its ranks, has set its sights on Nico Rosberg and wants to place him at Brawn GP. Whether Mercedes buys Brawn GP or not, it won’t change much about this possibility, and thus, Nico Rosberg will either take Jenson Button’s seat or that of Rubens Barrichello. But Button’s camp does not agree with this and is not even considering any option other than Brawn GP. “We have been advised by Ross Brawn that Jenson Button will stay at Brawn GP and that’s it,” revealed a well-placed source.

The manager of Jenson Button, Richard Goddard, is not negotiating with any other team for 2010 and will obviously use this loyalty as a bargaining tool in his attempts to at least double Button’s salary, currently at 3 million pounds sterling (nearly 3.3 million euros).

For his part, Rubens Barrichello is covering his bases and exploring all possible options. He is in advanced negotiations with the Williams team, where he is likely to replace Rosberg. “It’s true that there are talks with Williams and with Brawn GP,” Barrichello explained. “But I can assure you that I haven’t signed any papers yet.”

Barrichello is likely to be joined at Williams by the recent GP2 champion Nico Hülkenberg, who is managed by Michael Schumacher’s manager, Willi Weber. Williams, who has ended its collaboration with Toyota, will likely be powered by Renault or Cosworth in 2010, if the talks with the first of the two mentioned engine suppliers were to fail.