Trulli and Kovalainen to drive for Lotus

Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen have been unveiled as the driving team for Lotus F1's maiden season on the Formula One grid.

McLaren confirm signing of Button

• World champion agrees £5.5m-a-year deal• Leaving Brawn 'a difficult decision', says EnglishmanJenson Button has finally signed a long-term contract to drive for the McLaren team alongside Lewis Hamilton in what will be only the second all-British world champion line-up in Formula One history.Button's move was revealed by the Guardian last week, and the 2009 title holder finally agreed terms after a lengthy meeting last night at the McLaren squad's Woking headquarters.The £5.5m-a-year deal sees the 29-year-old Englishman turning his back on the Brawn team only two days after they were purchased by Mercedes-Benz."It's always a difficult decision to leave a team when you've been there for so long," said Button. "But life is all about challenges – and, most important of all, it's about challenging yourself."So, although I won the world championship with Brawn GP last year, and I'll never forget that, I was always adamant that I wanted to continue to set myself fresh challenges."Hamilton welcomed Button's arrival. "It's fantastic news that Jenson has decided to join Vodafone McLaren Mercedes – and I'm looking forward to working with him and our engineers to make sure we kick off the 2010 season with a car that's competitive enough to win the world championship."Hamilton, McLaren's 2008 world champion, added: "I already know Jenson, and we get on very well together. We both really want our team to succeed."Although we'll be pushing each other hard, I'm sure we'll very quickly establish a great working relationship."He's an exceptional driver: very controlled and very smooth, and he has a real depth of knowledge and experience. I think we'll complement each other very well."The McLaren team principal, Martin Whitmarsh, said Button's move from Brawn "was in no way motivated by money"."We'll be paying him no more than he could be getting elsewhere, and that fact is a reflection of not only Jenson's belief in Vodafone McLaren Mercedes but also his desire and ambition to build on the phenomenal results he achieved during the 2009 season," Whitmarsh said."Everybody at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes is absolutely delighted to be able to welcome Jenson to our team."It has always been our policy to employ the two very best possible drivers – and, in Jenson and Lewis, we feel we not only have the fastest pairing on the 2010 grid but also the two most complete, professional and dedicated drivers in Formula One."Moreover, I'm confident that we'll be able to successfully balance and harness Jenson's and Lewis's complementary skill-sets. Now we have to provide Jenson and Lewis with race-winning machinery."Hamilton praised Heikki Kovalainen, his team-mate of the last two seasons who must now find a drive elsewhere. The Englishman said: "I want to send my best wishes for the future to my 2008-09 team-mate and now good friend Heikki Kovalainen, who is one of the nicest human beings I've ever met."Whitmarsh praised Kovalainen for his role at the team over the past two seasons. "I want to thank Heikki for his selfless contribution over the past two years," said Whitmarsh. "As well as being very quick, Heikki was and remains a great character whom we'll all miss considerably."It goes without saying that we wish him all the best for next season, and would be very pleased if he were to secure a good drive for 2010."Jenson ButtonLewis HamiltonMcLarenFormula OneMotor sportAlan Henryguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Kovalainen eyes Raikkonen rally exploits

With F1 testing now severely restricted, the F1 stars have a lot more free time than in the past and Heikki Kovalainen is keen to try his hand at some alternative disciplines...  

Kovalainen admits unequal treatment at McLaren

Oct.30 (GMM) In what might be interpreted as a parting shot, Heikki Kovalainen has suggested that he did not enjoy equal treatment as Lewis Hamilton's McLaren teammate in 2008 and 2009.

Kovalainen claims unequal treatment at McLaren

In what might be interpreted as a parting shot, Heikki Kovalainen has suggested that he did not enjoy equal treatment as Lewis Hamilton's McLaren team-mate in 2008 and 2009, something also alleged by Fernando Alonso during his time with the Woking-based team...  

Lotus sign up Trulli and Kovalainen

The Lotus team principal Tony Fernandes believes envious eyes are being cast in the direction of his team following yesterday's announcement of their driver line-up for 2010. The Malaysia-backed marque will have Heikki Kovalainen and Jarno Trulli in the cockpit of their cars as Lotus returns to Formula One for the first time since 1994.