DFiaA
I told you so
- Liittynyt
- 7.2.2001
- Viestit
- 14430
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/3540478.stm
Häkkinen BARille?
:eek!: :eek!:Button to join Williams
Britain's Jenson Button has signed a two-year deal to drive for Williams from next season.
The 24-year-old has decided to quit BAR and rejoin the outfit where he began his Formula One career.
Asked whether Button can win a world title within two years, team boss Sir Frank Williams was unequivocal.
"If we give him a good enough car, most certainly yes," Williams told BBC Five Live. "He's on a strong upward path, every drive he improves."
Williams added: "We've always believed an outstanding measure of a great world champion driver is the smoothness with which he drives and the infrequency of his accidents."
Button will complete Williams' 2005 driver line-up after the recent signing of Australian Mark Webber, with current drivers Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher leaving the team.
Maybe he recognises we have a greater opportunity of providing him a world championship car than his present team
Frank Williams,
Williams team owner
The Briton has been enjoying a superb season with the much-improved BAR and currently lies third in the drivers' championship with 61 points from 12 races.
Williams, on the other hand, have been struggling, but the team boss revealed that it was Button who first signalled interest in a move.
"He has been under option to his present team BAR for some time," said Williams.
"The option expired recently and Button's management called us to say that the option was no longer valid and would we be interested in his services - and of course I reacted as you might expect me to.
"I think they (BAR) probably wanted to take up the option but whether they've executed or not will come out in due course."
And Williams believes Button may have been attracted to his former team because of recent investment in the outfit.
"He started with us in 2000 and we've been in very close contact all of the time since.
"Maybe he just harboured a wish (to return) and recognised we had spent tens of millions of pounds reinvesting in the company technically speaking.
"Maybe he recognises we have a greater opportunity of providing him a world championship car than his present team.
"I haven't asked him the real answer yet."
Button became Britain's youngest ever F1 driver and the fifth youngest ever when he raced for Williams at the Australian Grand Prix in 2000.
Häkkinen BARille?
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