Button to McLaren a bad move

If the rumours are to be believed, 2009 F1 world champion Jenson Button will sign with McLaren this week and be partnered with 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton next season.

Frankly, there probably can’t be a worse thing for Button to do.

Let’s see the positives. Can’t think of anything, except that he’ll be given equal equipment as per the McLaren tradition.

Apart from that, there’s really no upside.

Considering that Hamilton gave double world champion and F1's biggest talent Fernando Alonso a run when they were teammates in 2007, Button will likely be humbled beside his younger, more talented stable mate. The McLaren team has also been built around Hamilton, which won’t help either. And, Hamilton is a driver whose peak is ahead of him while Button is nearing or at his, and still not a match for the 2008 champion. He’ll be trounced and it can only get worse, not better.

This would not be an Ayrton Senna-Alain Prost situation. So, the question is: Why in the world would anyone knowingly put themselves in that position?

Not to mention the fact that Hamilton remains a media darling with the British press, and should Button fail to match him, they will be ruthless.

Besides, with Mercedes taking control of Brawn, staying put may be a better place anyway.

Let’s hope that Mercedes Grand Prix boss Ross Brawn is right in his assessment of the McLaren rumours.

“His best future is with our team, where he has a good group around him, and there's a lot to be said for that,” he told the Independent. “The logical thing would be for him to stay with us, but of course logic doesn't always prevail.”