Button had Red Bull offer

[Redlake27]

In his speech at the BARC awards on Saturday John Button said that Jenson had a Red Bull offer when Honda dropped out of F1.


I'm assuming that they were going to bump Webber into Toro Rosso as they had doubts about his leg?

I wonder how 2009 would have panned out?

Would Vettel have destroyed Button, or vice-versa, in equal cars? Would Vettel have been world champion? Or would Barrichello have taken all the early year points that Button had (with Bruno Senna as a number two) and cruised to a surprise title?

Intriguing! Although, not particularly a great show of loyalty to Webber from Red Bull....

Edited by Redlake27 on Tuesday 9th February 08:02

[Muzzer]

You're assuming that they were going to bump Webber.

Maybe they were looking at putting Button into Toro Rosso and bumping Sebastien Bourdais, who was only confirmed relatively late on.

I'd imagine that Webber and Vettel had fairly water-tight contracts so bumping either of them would have been difficult.

Interesting though. I also wonder if Barrichello would have had Button's season had Jenson not been around. I'm afraid that, with his early season brake problems and his nature, I'm inclined to think not....

[Redlake27]

Button Snr did state it was Red Bull, adding 'that would have worked out quite well', suggesting it was a frontrunning car.

[Flying Toilet]

Redlake27 said:

Intriguing! Although, not particularly a great show of loyalty to Webber from Red Bull....

Webbers job was never under threat. Button would of covered the races that Webber would of potentially missed due to injury. Sounds like Sr have embellished the story somewhat.

[FWDRacer]

Flying Toilet said:

Sounds like Sr have embellished the story somewhat.

...been on the sauce all day you mean

[Rude-boy]

FWDRacer said:

Flying Toilet said:

Sounds like Sr have embellished the story somewhat.

...been on the sauce all day you mean

I suspect that it is a bit of an extrapolation of the true position. That said there were quite a few people about who knew that Webber's leg was not the real concern when it came to him racing or not last year. Something the press gave very little weight even when they cottoned on to this late in the year.

[Flying Toilet]

Rude-boy said:

FWDRacer said:

Flying Toilet said:

Sounds like Sr have embellished the story somewhat.

...been on the sauce all day you mean

I suspect that it is a bit of an extrapolation of the true position. That said there were quite a few people about who knew that Webber's leg was not the real concern when it came to him racing or not last year. Something the press gave very little weight even when they cottoned on to this late in the year.

Webber was recommended not to go to the first race and the FIA made him prove numerous times he could get out of the car in a set time.

It got to the point that Coulthard was all set to jump in the car, but thank god Webber passed the test!

[skwdenyer]

Rude-boy said:

FWDRacer said:

Flying Toilet said:

Sounds like Sr have embellished the story somewhat.

...been on the sauce all day you mean

I suspect that it is a bit of an extrapolation of the true position. That said there were quite a few people about who knew that Webber's leg was not the real concern when it came to him racing or not last year. Something the press gave very little weight even when they cottoned on to this late in the year.

I've obviously had my head in the sand for a few months, but would you care to explain a little more?

[elster]

skwdenyer said:

Rude-boy said:

FWDRacer said:

Flying Toilet said:

Sounds like Sr have embellished the story somewhat.

...been on the sauce all day you mean

I suspect that it is a bit of an extrapolation of the true position. That said there were quite a few people about who knew that Webber's leg was not the real concern when it came to him racing or not last year. Something the press gave very little weight even when they cottoned on to this late in the year.

I've obviously had my head in the sand for a few months, but would you care to explain a little more?

He broke his leg when crashed his bike into a car, or vica versa. His leg now looks like it is held together like a creation of Frankenstein.

[skwdenyer]

elster said:

skwdenyer said:

Rude-boy said:

FWDRacer said:

Flying Toilet said:

Sounds like Sr have embellished the story somewhat.

...been on the sauce all day you mean

I suspect that it is a bit of an extrapolation of the true position. That said there were quite a few people about who knew that Webber's leg was not the real concern when it came to him racing or not last year. Something the press gave very little weight even when they cottoned on to this late in the year.

I've obviously had my head in the sand for a few months, but would you care to explain a little more?

He broke his leg when crashed his bike into a car, or vica versa. His leg now looks like it is held together like a creation of Frankenstein.

Yes, sorry, I realised that bit. It was Rude-boy's emphasis of "...who knew that Webber's leg was not the real concern..." that confused me - if not his leg, then what?

[Mazda Baiter]

skwdenyer said:

elster said:

skwdenyer said:

Rude-boy said:

FWDRacer said:

Flying Toilet said:

Sounds like Sr have embellished the story somewhat.

...been on the sauce all day you mean

I suspect that it is a bit of an extrapolation of the true position. That said there were quite a few people about who knew that Webber's leg was not the real concern when it came to him racing or not last year. Something the press gave very little weight even when they cottoned on to this late in the year.

I've obviously had my head in the sand for a few months, but would you care to explain a little more?

He broke his leg when crashed his bike into a car, or vica versa. His leg now looks like it is held together like a creation of Frankenstein.

Yes, sorry, I realised that bit. It was Rude-boy's emphasis of "...who knew that Webber's leg was not the real concern..." that confused me - if not his leg, then what?

I'm equally confused here.

[llewop]

skwdenyer said:

elster said:

skwdenyer said:

Rude-boy said:

FWDRacer said:

Flying Toilet said:

Sounds like Sr have embellished the story somewhat.

...been on the sauce all day you mean

I suspect that it is a bit of an extrapolation of the true position. That said there were quite a few people about who knew that Webber's leg was not the real concern when it came to him racing or not last year. Something the press gave very little weight even when they cottoned on to this late in the year.

I've obviously had my head in the sand for a few months, but would you care to explain a little more?

He broke his leg when crashed his bike into a car, or vica versa. His leg now looks like it is held together like a creation of Frankenstein.

Yes, sorry, I realised that bit. It was Rude-boy's emphasis of "...who knew that Webber's leg was not the real concern..." that confused me - if not his leg, then what?

perhaps it wasn't the physical damage, but the company that Webber had been keeping? for instance his manager? (I can remember someone making some comments about this ages ago, could be the same thing...)

[skwdenyer]

llewop said:

skwdenyer said:

elster said:

skwdenyer said:

Rude-boy said:

FWDRacer said:

Flying Toilet said:

Sounds like Sr have embellished the story somewhat.

...been on the sauce all day you mean

I suspect that it is a bit of an extrapolation of the true position. That said there were quite a few people about who knew that Webber's leg was not the real concern when it came to him racing or not last year. Something the press gave very little weight even when they cottoned on to this late in the year.

I've obviously had my head in the sand for a few months, but would you care to explain a little more?

He broke his leg when crashed his bike into a car, or vica versa. His leg now looks like it is held together like a creation of Frankenstein.

Yes, sorry, I realised that bit. It was Rude-boy's emphasis of "...who knew that Webber's leg was not the real concern..." that confused me - if not his leg, then what?

perhaps it wasn't the physical damage, but the company that Webber had been keeping? for instance his manager? (I can remember someone making some comments about this ages ago, could be the same thing...)

That certainly put his 2010 drive in jeopardy, but not - I thought - his 2009 drive.

[LocoBlade]

As well as his leg, Webber also broke a collarbone but kept it quiet and didn't even tell Red Bull management (Christian Horner etc) until a few weeks later. I suspect that's what was being speculated on as it could have potentially taken longer to heal sufficiently than the leg

Edited by LocoBlade on Tuesday 9th February 22:01

[skwdenyer]

LocoBlade said:

As well as his leg, Webber also broke a collarbone but kept it quiet and didn't even tell Red Bull management (Christian Horner etc) until a few weeks later. I suspect that's what was being speculated on as it could have potentially taken longer to heal sufficiently than the leg

Edited by LocoBlade on Tuesday 9th February 22:01

Ah-ha, than you. Yes, that can be bad, especially as there's no way to "set" a collarbone easily, and upper body strength tends to be a little important to an F1 driver

[Flying Toilet]

Two correct statements here.

1) Webber did have a broken collar bone.
2) Webber being managed by Flavio did have some bearing on what engine was used.

[skwdenyer]

Flying Toilet said:

Two correct statements here.

1) Webber did have a broken collar bone.
2) Webber being managed by Flavio did have some bearing on what engine was used.

As regards your point 2), I don't doubt it, but that wasn't the point; it was suggested that something other than his leg put his 2009 RB drive in jeopardy. It was unclear how his choice of driver management achieved that.