Brawn Hints that Rosberg Has Button's Potential for F1 Title

Many argued, throughout the 2009 season of Formula One, that the way the championship was going last year proved once again that it's the car that counts and not the driver. Jenson Button was the sole proof of that, as the British driver scored more wins in the first two races of the season that he did in his entire career.

He eventually won the title last season, but most of the credit went to the Brawn GP car, the BGP 001.

Now that the 29-year old Brit is gone, team boss Ross Brawn reckoned that Nico Rosberg will have just the same amount of chances to prove himself in the championship as Button did. According to the British official, Rosberg's situation in 2010 would be exactly the same with Button's in 2009, meaning he'll finally get to use all of his driving skills on a race-winning machinery.

“I think that Nico has all the potential that Jenson showed over the years, but never had the opportunity to prove it. He's just not been in the right team at the right time” Brawn told Britain's ITN, according to the GMM news agency.

If we are to compare the two drivers, Rosberg will come to Brackley without scoring a single win in his 4-year career in Formula One, while Button started the 2009 season with a single win in his CV (a lucky success during the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix, influenced by heavy rain). However, Button had completed two consecutive seasons in the rear of the F1 pack prior to his incredible 2009 performance, ending the 2007 and 2008 campaign in F1 with an overall 9 points on the scoreboard.

Having argued that Rosberg may very well be regarded as a potential F1 champion in 2010, Brawn practically paved the way for his leading status within the team. That unless Michael Schumacher decides to step in, as the German is currently linked with a racing seat for Mercedes GP next year. If now, the second seat at Brackley will likely go to Nick Heidfeld.