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Lauda: Button's deal 'a true Ron Dennis move'

Wednesday 25th November 2009

Three-times World Champion Niki Lauda believes former McLaren team boss Ron Dennis was behind Jenson Button's move to the Woking-based team.

Barely a few weeks after winning his maiden World Championship with Brawn GP, Button decided to sign a multi-year contract to team up with Lewis Hamilton at McLaren.

The move raised quite a few eyebrows, but Lauda says it's "not really" a surprise and also feels that Ross Brawn was not too happy with Button's performances over the latter part of the season.

"That was a true 'Ron Dennis' move - to run a team with two British World Champions," he told the official Formula One website. "On the other hand, I am sure that Ross (Brawn) was not completely satisfied with Jenson's performance in the second half of the season. But if Mercedes ends up with someone not as good as Jenson, then they've drawn the short straw. I would not have an idea who they should take."

Mercedes are yet to confirm Nico Rosberg's partner for next season and seven-time Champ Michael Schumacher has been strongly tipped to come out of retirement to form an all-German driver line-up.

Although team boss Brawn denied the rumours by claiming it is nothing more than a "dream", Mercedes motorsport boss Norbert Haug remained coy when he was asked about the possibility of Schumacher joining the team.

Lauda, though, says it is unlikely that Schumacher "would be up for a full season" of F1 racing.

"I don't believe that there is one single grain of truth in them, at least from all the signals that I get," he said.

"There was a window of opportunity after Felipe's (Massa's) accident and had Michael been fit he would have taken up that chance to race for three or four races - to prove himself, get the adrenaline rush, and see where he stood in the pecking order.

"But I cannot believe that he would be up for a full season. Why then he did stop racing in the first place? But that is my personal opinion."

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