MOTORSPORT: Frank Williams yesterday refused to confirm claims by Jenson Button that the British driver could walk back into his team next season. The 22-year-old, who is at present on loan to Renault, claims that his contract stipulates he has a guaranteed race seat with the BMW-powered team in 2003 if he wants it.

Williams would not respond, but a team spokesman said: "All contractual matters are private and there will be no comment until the drivers are announced."

Ralf Schumacher is contracted until the end of 2003, while Juan Pablo Montoya, who replaced Button last year, is expected to be retained for next season.

Montoya will reportedly be offered a two-year contract when Williams take up their option on him. A decision on the driver line-up is expected to be taken at the end of August.

Button is currently nearing the end of his two-year loan deal at Renault from Williams but is expected to be replaced by current test driver Fernando Alonso.

But Button, who has had talks with Jaguar Racing and is also understood to be interesting Toyota, said that it was he who had the option whether to go back to the outfit who gave him his breakthrough in 2000.

"I can't go into the finer details of my contract with BMW-Williams, but what I will say is that there is a misconception when it comes to the terms," Button told the Mail on Sunday.

"It is not the case that Williams-BMW can simply be rid of me. It is I who have the option to go back and, If I wanted to, I would be contractually able to do just that."

Button added that he could go back as one of the two main drivers and not as a reserve for Schumacher and Montoya, although he also suggested he would prefer to stay at Renault.