Hakkinen joins race to replace Button

Former world champion Mika Hakkinen has emerged a surprise contender to replace Jenson Button at BAR, if the Englishman is allowed to join Williams.

Button has signed a two-year contract at Williams which he expects will see him return to the team who handed him his Formula One debut in 2000.

BAR have questioned the legality of that deal though and have demanded urgent talks with Button as they bid to avoid an unsightly legal battle with Williams for the 24-year-old.

Button’s future is unlikely to be confirmed in the near future but BAR seemingly have a string of ready-made replacements available.

Test driver Anthony Davidson remains favourite to be given a race seat but David Coulthard and Jarno Trulli have also been linked while Hakkinen has now emerged as a contender.

Two-time champion Hakkinen is known to be considering a return to Formula One three seasons after retiring and had initially been linked to Williams.

With Button and 2005 team-mate Mark Webber pipping him to the two vacant seats there, Hakkinen must look elsewhere and hinted at interest in BAR.

Finland’s national broadcaster YLE quoted Hakkinen as saying: “There is no smoke without fire. At this moment I do not want to comment more on the issue, especially as discussions around the BAR team are so hot.”

Hakkinen retired after a disappointing 2001 campaign with McLaren, moving aside to give fellow Finn Kimi Raikkonen his big break.

At 35, Hakkinen is a few months younger than Michael Schumacher and is still rated as the only man to truly match the German, having beaten him to two world titles.

Any move to BAR will rest on the outcome of legal posturing over Button’s situation.

The Englishman now has contracts for 2005 with both BAR and Williams and a lengthy legal dispute now beckons.

Before the lawyers fight it out over the finepoint of Button’s disputed BAR contract, team boss David Richards just wants to speak to his wantaway star.

Richards, who has helped Button blossom into a genuine threat to Schumacher this season, has been unable to contact his driver and is growing increasingly frustrated.

He said: “We have been trying to talk to Jenson for days. He has a clear duty to all of those who’ve worked with him for the last two years to explain to them what is going on.

“If we do not have a meeting with Jenson by Monday night to sort this out, the processes to enforce our rights under the contract will commence without further notice.”