Prost Secured Button At Williams.

Alain Prost apparently gave his blessing for Jenson Button to join Williams - despite having the British youngster under contract himself.


Prost was the first Formula One manager to give Button a try-out with a view to a longer contract and, impressed with the then 19-year old's performance, offered him the chance to sign as test driver with the bonus of an F3000 seat in the Gauloise Junior team on top.


Button agreed to the deal in principle, but was keen to take the opportunity extended by Williams to shoot for the vacant seat left by Alex Zanardi. The outcome of the week-long selection procedure is now history, but Button had still to get Prost's permission to break their contract.


"I did not want to block a driver from getting on," Prost told the media at his team's year 2000 launch yesterday [Tuesday], "I had the option [to keep Button], but he was confident about the move [to Williams] and I would not refuse it. It was my advice at the end to go to Williams.


"After he drove for us, we made a proposition and offered a contract, and he agreed. Of course, I would have liked him to stay at my team, but he wanted to go to Williams. I have spoken to him since, and there is no problem.


"He is mature for his age, and he is quick. On the basis of the tests he did for us, I think he is something special."


Button would have shared testing duties at Prost with Stephane Sarrazin, and replaced the McLaren F3000-bound Frenchman in Prost's junior squad. Instead, he is now piloting the second Williams alongside German Ralf Schumacher. Prost's line-up for 2000 consists of oldest man on the grid Jean Alesi and F1 newcomer Nick Heidfeld.