Did Jenson Button really buy out his Williams contract

...With his own money? Or was it HRC money?

I would imagine that HRC paid Williams and Jenson has to pay it back.

I would imagine that HRC paid Williams and Jenson has to pay it back.

Probably much along the lines of an after-tax deduction from his paycheck.

Probably much along the lines of an after-tax deduction from his paycheck.

Yes I tink so, and if I am not wrong, the sum should be deducted over a span of 3 years. What I do not know is, what happens if, for a change, jenson decides not to honour this contract too!!

Yes I tink so, and if I am not wrong, the sum should be deducted over a span of 3 years. What I do not know is, what happens if, for a change, jenson decides not to honour this contract too!!

Wouldn't happen. If he did that he would be hit with a very, very large bill from Mr. Honda and probably treated as a leper by every team in the paddock. Career suicide, basically.

How do you distinguish between Honda paying and Buton paying, but geting a large pay cheque from Honda?

Wouldn't happen. If he did that he would be hit with a very, very large bill from Mr. Honda and probably treated as a leper by every team in the paddock. Career suicide, basically.

Like the very large bill he got hit with from Mr. Williams? He is alrealy a leper.... luckily the reach of F1 is quite narrow in world terms and the actions of Mr. Button and Honda are only really known / cared about by a tiny minority.

I feel a bit sorry for Honda really - such a proud company sullied by the behaviour of it's highest paid employee. Anyway, we have moved on ;)

Like the very large bill he got hit with from Mr. Williams? He is alrealy a leper.... luckily the reach of F1 is quite narrow in world terms and the actions of Mr. Button and Honda are only really known / cared about by a tiny minority.

I feel a bit sorry for Honda really - such a proud company sullied by the behaviour of it's highest paid employee. Anyway, we have moved on ;)

I don't think some people have according to those comments.

If Honda wanted rid of him, they wouldn't have given him the support which he will get for buying out his contract.

Besides, I wouldn't be suprised if Rubens is on more than JB actually.

I'm not that concerned about whether HE paid Williams to release him from the contract he signed, I'm more concerned about his behaviour. I think it was unacceptable.

and that has been discussed before. I don't think we need another one of those threads. Especially as Raven's orginal question will get lost.

Sorry.

Not a problem. :beer: (probably killed the thread now! ;))

Honda were really determined that he remain with them, and I hope he can prove their faith to be justified next season. And for what it's costing him, in reputation if not in cost, I hope it all works out for him and he does have a competitive car.

Okay, so to get back on topic.... I would say it was Honda money that was going to Mr Button but is now diverted. I doubt a check of Mr. Button's account will show a 30mill withdrawal in late November ;)

I very much doubt that Button would have paid the X millions to buy out his contract. To be honest I don't understand why Honda were quite so determined to hang on to. I'd say he's only the 5th best driver, at the highest.

I'd make Button the 5th best driver as well, but for Honda, that still represents a great deal. The amount they've paid for his is a tiny fraction of their annual budget. They had no hope of getting one of the other top drivers for 2006, and would probably feel bound to giving Sato the drive to please their Japanese fans. Also, there's a lot to be said for continuity. What about all the time they've spent forging a rapport with Jenson and learning how he likes the car set up and what his preferred working conditions are?

I have a question, slightly off topic - but I hope that when it's answered you can all get back on topic. I was just wondering who Jenson's race engineer was at Williams in 2000? Was it Greg Wheeler who was Zanardi's race engineer in 1999 or was it someone else?

Thanks,

PAUL

I think you'll find JB had to negotiate man to man with Sir Frank and got a 2 year period get out deal which he has had to fund himself albeit in the confident knowledge he had a lucrative long term contract with Honda if he concluded a settlement.
JB has been quoted it stung him a bit...but he'll be back well in pocket in the long run,
that's business!