The new Formula One champ has been linked with a switch to McLaren after failing to agree a new deal with his team.
Button is looking for a £5million pay rise to return him to his old £8m-a-year salary - having taken a cut to help save the outfit.
Boss Ross Brawn is yet to offer Button new terms.
And Button’s manager Richard Goddard said: “Brawn could have sorted Jenson out weeks ago and none of this would be going on.”
“We’ve been trying to agree terms with them.”
“He’s made it clear he wants to stay and, had they agreed a contract, there would be no speculation.”
“People will speculate that anyone with a free seat next year will be offering Jenson a drive.”
“That speculation won’t die until Brawn offer him new terms.” The Sun
In a warning shot to Brawn, Goddard added: “A lot of quality seats may still be available, so it’s down to Brawn to make us an offer.”
With a number of vacancies still to be filled on next year’s grid, Button may become a man in demand, especially as he would take the ‘number one’ on the car to that team.
The 29-year-old, who was crowned in Brazil on Sunday, has made it clear he wants to stay with Brawn after helping him become champion.
However, Button has yet to sign a new deal with Brawn for 2010 as it is understood he and the team are at odds over his salary.
After agreeing to take a £5million pay cut to £3million to drive for Brawn for this year following Honda’s demise, it is believed Button is looking to return to his former wage.
Brawn GP chief executive Nick Fry confirmed after Button’s title triumph the difference in negotiations was “a bridge that can be crossed”. Independent.co.uk
Goddard would not comment specifically on an approach from McLaren, but said: “They have an open seat, Toyota have an open seat, and so do Renault, but there are some others who’ve talked to us that might surprise people. He certainly wouldn’t have any problem being team-mate to Lewis Hamilton at McLaren if the opportunity developed.”
McLaren’s team principal Martin Whitmarsh sought to downplay the possibility yesterday when he said: “As we’ve consistently said whenever we’ve been asked about our 2010 driver line-up, we haven’t yet decided on it. We’ve talked to a number of drivers, but it wouldn’t be appropriate to divulge details of our thinking. The reality is that we’ll hire the two best drivers available to us – as we always have. We’ll discount any other criteria, including nationality.”
Button fits the bill perfectly from both the driving point of view and financially, however, and McLaren are chasing hard with the aim of creating a superteam of two British world champions which would have massive appeal to sponsor Vodafone. Independent.co.uk
| 
|