Where did Button say he was retiring again? I've not read that report. All I've seen was 'sabbatical'. Which means 'take a break', last time I checked.
Where did Button say he was retiring again? I've not read that report. All I've seen was 'sabbatical'. Which means 'take a break', last time I checked.
Mika said sabbatical originally, and then flat out said he was retired a year later.
Button has NOT retired. The end. That does not mean he will get a drive in F1 this year or next, but it is fact. What, incidentally, is different about hiring Bottas for one year ahead of hiring who Mercedes actually want in the car if they had been given enough notice from Rosberg?
Then why did he treat Abu Dhabi as his final race?
Ever heard of psychology? He treated it as if if was his last F1 race because in all probability it is. That is not "I am retiring."
Okay, but I am not really sure what point you are trying to make, given the course of the recent conversation - namely, the probability of Mercedes hiring Button.
I don't think that's fair to Bottas. After all, Williams got an engine subsidy for taking him. His star may have fallen after Ferrari chose to retain Räikkönen, but he has enough experience in a front-running car to merit a seat at Mercedes.
No, I am saying that he is speaking and behaving as if he is retired, and that I see no evidence to suggest that there is any realism to one person's suggestion that he could go to Mercedes.
This isn't really saying that you think he has spoken and behaved as if he is retiring, you're just flat out saying he's retired;
It's believed that his retirement had more to do with Williams hiring Stroll than Massa losing interest. He would have stayed if he could, but Williams chose Bottas and Stroll. But nobody saw Rosberg's retirement coming, and with Mercedes eyeing off Bottas to fill the vacant seat, a way to stay in the sport opened up.
Williams are pretty conservative when it comes to driver changes. They're probably second only to Ferrari in that regard. They like continuity when they can get it. Taking on Lance Stroll is a big step for them; taking two new drivers is probably too much of a risk for them.
That makes things interesting for Manor, because both their seats are wide open now. They've looked stronger than ever, and they're believed to be talking with new backers, so I think the seats are pretty lucrative at the moment. If they could get talented young blood - like Giovinazzi and Gasly - they could really establish a reputation as the spiritual successor to Minardi.
I'd rather see somebody else than Gutierrez in a Manor. He's had his chance and not been able to/not fully taken it. I'd rather see people like King and Giovinazzi take the seat.
Gutierrez never won a GP2 title, his 2 titles were in GP3 & F-BMW.
