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It's been a pretty lousy weekend so far for Jenson Button, who qualified his Renault in 13th place, but at least he can afford to relax after his oft-denied deal with BAR-Honda was finally made official last Monday. And had he eavesdropped a conversation in the BAR motor home on Friday, when team principal David Richards explained why he chose him and how he beat Jaguar and Sauber despite offering a lot less money than was being offered by the other teams, it would have been balm for an ego bruised by Renault's extraordinary decision to drop him.
"I have to look to the long-term," Richards explained. "Jenson is paid appropriate to his role in the team, because that's not an area where you should skimp." His remuneration is believed to be $4.5m for the first year, rising to $6.5m in 2004. The deal is for two years, with options in two successive years on BAR's side. "There is nothing to stop Jenson being here forever," Richards remarked. "I was attracted by his age and, strangely enough, his experience. When drivers are so young, their three formative years in F1 are when you take the biggest risk. However good [Fernando] Alonso has been in testing, he's a risk. Jenson learnt so much with Benetton-Renault last year. That really is a young driver's critical period. We need youth and long-term planning,...