15/08/2005
NEWS STORY
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In all honesty, since the summer break began, there's not been too much happening.
This has allowed some of us to take a much-deserved break, if only for a day or two, and clearly given others the 'green light', to go ahead and start the sort of rumours that make the phrase 'silly season' seem so apt.
For some reason, possibly due to the situation regarding Jenson Button, which appears to have the traditional game of Grand Prix 'musical chairs' on hold, WilliamsF1 has been the focus of several of the sillier stories.
First off there has been talk of Mark Webber heading off to Renault to join Fernando Alonso.
Although there are certain factions at Grove who apparently regard the Australian as a bit of a "Prima Donna" and "a whinger" (their terms), Mark is not heading off to Renault.
There is a certain amount of dissatisfaction at the way the former Minardi and Jaguar driver has gone about doing his job, certainly compared to Heidfeld, who has just got on with it, however there is no serious talk within the team of letting him go after just one year of a two-year deal.
Furthermore, Pitpass has been told by a (usually) reliable, and highly placed, source at Renault, that the French team - contrary to speculation - will be retaining its current line-up for 2006, in other words Giancarlo Fisichella is staying put.
Another rumour linking WilliamsF1 with a swap to Bridgestone is also to be dismissed, since the Grove team is very close to signing a new deal with Michelin.
It should be remembered, that WilliamsF1 was one of the first teams to join the French supplier when it returned to F1 in 2001, and gave it its first win (on it's return) just four races into the partnership.
As for Button, we hear that no matter how much money is put on the table by 'the golden boy', BAR, Honda or indeed any other interested party, Frank Williams intends sticking to his guns, feeling that the issue is a matter of honour and that Button must remain true to his word.