Formula 1
Button to join Benetton; Panis heading to BAR
INDIANAPOLIS, Monday, Aug. 21, 2000 -- Jenson Button and Olivier Panis both have confirmed Formula One rides next season as Button has signed a two-year deal with Mild Seven Benetton-Playlife while Panis will drive for Lucky Strike British American ...
Edited: Apr 15, 2002, 11:45 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
INDIANAPOLIS, Monday, Aug. 21, 2000 -- Jenson Button and Olivier Panis both have confirmed Formula One rides next season as Button has signed a two-year deal with Mild Seven Benetton-Playlife while Panis will drive for Lucky Strike British American Racing-Honda. Great Britain’s Button is in his rookie F1 season driving for Williams-BMW. That team, which has him under long-term contract, has released him to Benetton for the 2001 and 2002 seasons. Williams-BMW will announce who will replace Button as Ralf Schumacher’s teammate during the weekend of the inaugural SAP United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis on Sept. 24. The team is expected to nominate 2000 Indianapolis 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya. “Jenson has astonished the Williams-BMW team with his immediate grasp of Formula One and with the calmness of his approach to driving an F1 car even under the greatest pressure in a qualifying session,” team owner Frank Williams said. “There is no doubt in my mind that Jenson will go on to be a truly great racing driver.” Button will partner Giancarlo Fisichella, whose contract with Benetton was extended last week. The team will run with Benetton livery in 2001 and then in Renault colors when the manufacturer makes its official return to F1 in 2002. “Benetton is not only a team with a World Championship winning history,” Button said, “but there is also a strong future with Renault.” Frenchman Panis spent six seasons driving for the Ligier/Prost team and won the 1996 Monaco Grand Prix before signing on as the test and development driver for the West McLaren-Mercedes team this year. He returns to competition next season as Jacques Villeneuve’s teammate. “Panis is an experienced Grand Prix driver,” said BAR’s managing director Craig Pollock, “and he is a highly rated test driver and a proven race winner. We believe his knowledge and ability will assist the team greatly.”
-IMS-
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Silverstone test report, 2000-08-17
Next article Belgian GP Jaguar preview
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Juan Pablo Montoya
Team Penske and Chevrolet announce multi-year extension of IndyCar partnership
IndyCar
IndyCar
Team Penske and Chevrolet announce multi-year extension of IndyCar partnership
Juan Pablo Montoya admires Franco Colapinto's "aggressive" approach despite Baku crash
Formula 1
Formula 1
Azerbaijan GP
Juan Pablo Montoya admires Franco Colapinto's "aggressive" approach despite Baku crash
Williams tipped for "huge step" forward at Azerbaijan GP with major upgrade
Formula 1
Formula 1
Spanish GP
Williams tipped for "huge step" forward at Azerbaijan GP with major upgrade
More from
Mercedes
Max Verstappen stars with 15-place charge in 45 minutes: 'I learned a lot and had fun'
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance
Portimão
5 h
Max Verstappen stars with 15-place charge in 45 minutes: 'I learned a lot and had fun'
Latest news
When Can-Am made its controversial comeback
General
When Can-Am made its controversial comeback
Yamaha boss on MotoGP changes under Liberty: 'We must be careful not to lose our fans'
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Japanese GP
2 h
Yamaha boss on MotoGP changes under Liberty: 'We must be careful not to lose our fans'
Kyle Busch remembered: Rowdy’s most notable Phoenix moments
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Phoenix II
3 h
Kyle Busch remembered: Rowdy’s most notable Phoenix moments
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe