BAR sources indicated that Fry would welcome any opportunity to discuss a deal, but the signs are that Williams is determined to stand his ground and assert his contractual claim over Button.

“There is no suggestion to date from Williams that they want to do a deal,” Fry admitted.

That being the case, it is difficult to see a way out of the impasse other than Williams concluding that it would be counter-productive to employ Button against his will.

Button’s loss of faith in Williams has reportedly already strained relations between him and Sir Frank.

The Sun newspaper quoted a team insider as saying: “Frank has always had a good relationship with Jenson, but he is not taking kindly to the way he is trying to avoid returning to the team.

“At the moment Jenson is one of the team’s greatest assets [for 2006] and Frank is not about to be turned over.”

Button’s new-found reluctance to return to Williams – the team with which he began his grand prix career in 2000 – is attributable to the underwhelming form of the FW27 and the impending departure of BMW.




I think wages are not an option, I.E. Williams can do as they please as they have the signed agreement, hence Button not wanting to go