Post here all non technical related topics about Formula One. This includes race results, discussions, testing analysis etc. TV coverage and other personal questions should be in Off topic chat.
There is an article in this publication (Button Hamilton team mates) that suggests there is a clause in Rosberg's contract that stipulates that his team mate cannot be paid more than he is - and hence the glitch in negotiations between brawn and Button and apparently Mercedes agreed to the clause - go figure.
The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs - there's also the negative side' - Hunter S Thompson
This Rosberg contract clause story may be true or not. It could be a negotiating tool from Brawn's side to keep a cap on driver salaries. Nick Fry has come out today saying that the Merc deal will not influence the money Brawn is prepared to pay for Button. Brawn have sacked a hundred team members 7 months ago to get to a sustainable cost level. They are not going to give these people more grieve by paying exotic driver salaries.
I can tell you, that the powerfull IG metal union here in Germany is criticising Merc heavily for going into another potentially costly F1 adventure. Merc are answering this by promising to cut their cost dramatically to the point where F1 will actually make money instead of being the bottomless pit it used to be in the McLaren times.
The times of massive driver salaries for the less than top class drivers are over. There are simply four big spenders missing from the game as of this year, Toyota, Honda, BMW and McLaren. McLaren as a top team suddenly will not get 50% of their driver salaries re-embursed by Merc but will scratch the purse to pay their equity buy back program.
Jenson Button should not expect to get more money from McLaren than from Brawn. It is simply not there any more. Ron Dennis thinks it is time to make money with road cars to finance his racing in the long run, just like Ferrari are doing it. That sounds like a good long term strategy if he can pull it off. The immediate effect will be a huge money demand to actually build the road car division and transform the Mclaren F1 brand to a super car brand.
Formula One's fundamental ethos is about success coming to those with the most ingenious engineering and best ..............................organization, not to those with the biggest budget. (Dave Richards)
The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs - there's also the negative side' - Hunter S Thompson
If this is true Chap, I'm certain that MrE has something to do with it, like when he twisted Ron Dennis' arm in 1995 to take on Nigel Mansell coming home from the US. Why in the world would Whitmarsh shell out more money than Mercedes wants to?
"I spent most of my money on wine and women...I wasted the rest"
James Allan wrote:... Indeed the Guardian is reporting this evening that Button is on the point of signing a £6m a year contract for three years. As the piece is written by Alan Henry, who knows what colour the toilet paper is in Woking from one day to the next, this news needs to be taken seriously. So is that the correct reading or is Button just playing his hand badly?
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There have been immediate publications which see this as a negotiation tool by the Button side. If Button really had this opportunity and had decided to take it would he publish it by the Woking leak service or by McLaren's press officer?
I would say this story is another test balloon. Remember how Jenson had to do the dry cleaning of his race overalls all by him self this season and had to travel tourist class. It looks like his management is using the press in some creative way.
Formula One's fundamental ethos is about success coming to those with the most ingenious engineering and best ..............................organization, not to those with the biggest budget. (Dave Richards)
I'd bet my house on the Alan Henry report being right on the money
The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs - there's also the negative side' - Hunter S Thompson
Formula One's fundamental ethos is about success coming to those with the most ingenious engineering and best ..............................organization, not to those with the biggest budget. (Dave Richards)
sunny1304 wrote:i wonder what kimi is thinking now
It will dawn on him that Ferrari have set the gardening clause very clever. It is unlikely that McLaren will pay more than what he gaines by not driving. So why should he put up with their corporate and sponsor tread mill.
Formula One's fundamental ethos is about success coming to those with the most ingenious engineering and best ..............................organization, not to those with the biggest budget. (Dave Richards)
Considering Mercedes were paying half of Lewis's salary, is it at all forseeable that the surprise announcement by Mercedes GP is in fact Lewis as their star driver?
gibells wrote:Considering Mercedes were paying half of Lewis's salary, is it at all forseeable that the surprise announcement by Mercedes GP is in fact Lewis as their star driver?
Just thinking cats and pigeons!
Mercedes bought brawn, the team, they didnt take half of the mclaren team to build a new one. Anything thats brawn's is merc's... Anything thats mclaren's is mclarens...
