For the second successive year, the Summer break looks set to be dominated by one issue, the future of Jenson Button.

Frank Williams has already made it quite clear that his team has a binding contract with the English driver, and fully expects him to report for work at Grove at the end of the 2005 season.

However, BAR is showing no signs of letting him go.

Speaking at Hockenheim, BAR boss Nick Fry made it clear that he wants to retain Button, and suggested that the English driver wants to remain at Brackley, though we have yet to hear this from his own lips.

"Jenson wants to stay here," said Fry. "Frank is no doubt correct. If he says it's a contract, then that's one thing, but I don't really think that's the issue.

"I certainly wouldn't want any employee, let alone a driver in my team, who didn't want to be here," he added. "You can take a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

"The driver is the pivotal role in the team, and if they are not fully motivated and they don't want to be at a particular team, then they are not going to do anything to the best of their ability. "You can't force people to do something they don't want to do."

Quite.

Now, in its desperation to keep Button, the Brackley team, is offering all manner of incentives to Williams and his team in an attempt to force a change of heart.

It's understood that BAR will offer WilliamsF1 the services of Anthony Davidson in addition to a cash settlement of up to £5m, though some reports suggest that the 'sweetener' might be as little as £2m.

WilliamsF1 expressed an interest in Davidson at the end of 2004 and had hoped to offer him a role, but BAR, still smarting from Buttongate 2004, quickly vetoed the idea.

Davidson, who marries partner, Carrie Bond, formerly press officer with Jaguar Racing and Red Bull, later this year, has made no secret of his desire to get his F1 racing career underway, and a 'no strings' switch to WilliamsF1, might be just the solution.