Ross Brawn has indicated Jenson Button’s salary demands will not be met and is instead prepared to offer the new world champion more freedom to seek out personal sponsorship deals to boost his income.
Button has been locked in contract negotiations with Brawn GP since wrapping up the world title in Brazil last month, with the two parties unable to agree a wage deal.
The 29-year-old is believed to be seeking a return to the salary he commanded at Honda and has been consistently linked with a move to partner Lewis Hamilton at McLaren.
The Briton took a £5million pay cut to help the team stay afloat following Honda’s withdrawal last winter but Brawn is reluctant to return Button to his former salary of around £8million.
Brawn this week said there was ‘still a 99% chance’ that Button would remain with the Brackley-based team for 2010, but has since indicated he will not be held to ransom.
‘We can offer a higher proportion of driver freedom and that will probably be the route we will go,’ Brawn said in quotes reported by the Guardian.
‘Jenson has some freedom for his own endorsements but has a commitment to meet our obligations.’
Brawn have concluded a deal for Nico Rosberg to join the team from the start of the 2010 season, but Brawn insist the German will not be confirmed until Button’s future has been resolved.
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