Briatore: Jenson will stay with us
Flavio Briatore has denied fevered speculation that Jenson Button is on his way out of Benetton at the end of the year
The influential head of the Renault-powered team insisted the British driver he signed from BMW-Williams will see out his two-year contract - which has 12 months to run.
An avalanche of speculation in the paddock before the European Grand Prix linked Button with Prost, Jaguar, Toyota and Jordan. Unconfirmed sources in the paddock said Button's services have been offered to Jordan and Jaguar.
"He is with us next year - 100 per cent sure," said Briatore at the Nurburgring.
Button's troubled season came to a head after another miserable qualifying session left him 20th on the grid and a massive 1.2 seconds behind team mate Giancarlo Fisichella in 15th place.
Afterwards he is said to have had straight talks with the team.
Button, who became the youngest ever points scorer in only his second race last year, has failed to score a single point this year as Benetton struggles to develop an uncompetitive car and a revolutionary V10 engine design.
Benetton sources have already said Button's performances are more to do with team technical issues than his own speed. Button's joint manager Harald Huysman was at the Nurburgring and said: "There is nothing in this at all,"
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