WilliamsF1 have refused to comment on Jenson Button's somewhat surprising claim that he is contractually free to walk back into a WilliamsF1 drive in 2003.

In an interview with a British Sunday newspaper, the twenty-two-year-old Renault star claimed that his contract with WilliamsF1 allows him to return in 2003 should he want to.

It's widely believed that the Grove based outfit will retain its current line up with Ralf Schumacher already contracted for another season and Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya due to re-sign any time now.

That said there have been rumours doing the rounds to the effect that there are various factions within the team that doubt the wisdom of retaining both drivers with some expressing fears that Schumacher isn't aggressive enough and others claiming that Montoya is too aggressive.

It was widely believed that Button would retain his seat with Renault but then it was revealed that team boss Flavio Briatore is keen to see Fernando Alonso takes Button's place alongside Jarno Trulli next season.

In the days leading up to the European GP, Jaguar star Eddie Irvine revealed that Button had paid a surprise visit to the Milton Keynes outfit prompting rumours that the youngster would make a shock move to the Ford-owned outfit at the end of this year. However there have also been rumours linking him with Toyota.

"All contractual matters are private," said a WilliamsF1 spokesperson this afternoon. "There will be no comment until the drivers are announced."

When the F1 circus arrives in Northamptonshire for this weekend's British GP we can be sure of plenty more gossip and speculation.