Button's future still in doubt

The 25-year-old BAR driver's manager, Richard Goddard, was spotted in conference with Williams' Chris Chappell in the Monza paddock on Saturday.

But Goddard told the Independent newspaper that there is "no progress" on plans to extricate the English star from a contract he signed - under old management - to rejoin Williams.

Incredibly, Button's 2006 deal did not include a clause that would render it null and void if Williams lost its works engine.

Goddard rubbished suggestions of a $90m settlement. "We have definitely not discussed things such as how much or when."

Button, for his part, has actually visited the Grove team's HQ, but Sir Frank Williams is adamant that the Briton should honour his pledge.

Triple world champion Sir Jackie Stewart scolded Button's willingness to tear up a deal by saying: "If you make your bed, you have to lie in it."

The Scot, though, is not entirely impartial. These days, he wears a Williams shirt after negotiating team sponsor Royal Bank of Scotland's multi million dollar deal. Clearly, RBS would be happy with Britain's top driver at the wheel of its logo.

But Stewart warned to BBC's Radio 5 Live: "If he is going to be disruptive then I don't think any sponsor wants to be associated with that. You don't build relationships and trust by making sharp decisions."

- GMM