Button to join Hamilton at McLaren

World Champion Jenson Button has signed a three-year contract to join Lewis Hamilton in the McLaren team for the 2010 Formula One season.

The announcement brings to an end weeks of speculation as to the future of the Englishman who seemed unable to negotiate a contract that would see him remain with Brawn – the team he won this years championship with. The news follows the announcement yesterday that the Brawn team had been purchased by the Mercedes group and will run as Mercedes Grand Prix for the 2010 season.

The move by Button has drawn reaction from key figures in the world of F1 with ex-Grand Prix drivers John Watson and Sir Jackie Stewart voicing their concerns as to the move. Speaking to the BBC ex-McLaren driver Watson said;

“I don’t think Jenson has ever been matched against a driver of the quality, the ambition and out-and-out skill of Lewis Hamilton. It is a challenge and Jenson will have to reassess his aims and objectives over the next three years, because for sure, Lewis Hamilton will not be a walk in the park.”

Sir Jackie Stewart - who won the World Championhip three times in 1969, 1971 and 1973 – also voiced his concerns and said;

“It’s a mistake and will be like walking into the lion’s den for Jenson. Hamilton has had it his own way at McLaren for three years and it will be tough for Jenson to marry into that. It’s a totally different culture in McLaren. They have a clinical culture that doesn’t have the emotion or drive in the same passionate way that say Brawn would have had with Button in there as reigning world champion.”

There can be no denying that McLaren have the pedigree for handling two huge names as their experience with Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost showed. The 2010 season is now set to be a fascinating duel between the two British drivers with Ferrari newboy Fernando Alonso hot on their heels.

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