In a span of one year, from position 18, Brawn’s English driver Jenson Button jumped 17 places to grab the World Championship title this year in Formula 1 races. He won the title in the penultimate race of the season at the Brazilian Grand Prix by edging out Red Bull’s Mark Webber and defending champion Lewis Hamilton to become the 10th Briton to win the title.   

Starting from the 14th place at Interlagos grid, Button executed a series of spectacular early overtaking moves to finish the race fifth. For the last five years, the world champion has been decided at the Brazilian GP only.
Button, who won six of the first seven races this year, endured a tough second half of the season. He successfully tackled the test of nerve head on, unlocking a flood of emotion as he crossed the finishing line at Interlagos. With 89 points in his kitty, Button took seven seasons, to eventually win the world title.  

The moment Button finished 60 laps of the Brazilian Grand Prix the miracle had happened.  Congratulating him on his success, Brawn GP team principal Ross Brawn said that Jenson’s drive at Brazil was the drive of a world champion. “He’s a fantastic racer and had a great race; he knew what he had to do. We’ve lost a little bit of pace in the car over the last few races and he’s stuck with it and he’s deserved everything he’s got,” Brawn said. Button also helped his team win the constructors’ championship in their debut season.

Meanwhile, Button’s teammate, Rubens Barrichello said that he was pleased for Jenson, as a friend, and as a great champion. He said that if he had not clinched the title, Button should have won it. “Jenson deserved to do it, but he won it on the first six races, and I think the second half of the championship was mine. It is a hell of a team that deserves to win and I am part of this, especially the constructors’ championship,” Barrichello said.

There were words of praise from McLaren’s 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton. He said that Button had done an incredible job and he was happy for him and his family. “I can’t take anything away from Jenson he did the better job this year, but I plan on taking it back at some stage, who knows when, but I really hope that we can give it a good challenge next year from the start,” Hamilton said.

Formula 1 legend and three-time world champion Niki Lauda said that there was no room for criticism as Button was a world champion now and had done a perfect job. “Button was very conservative in the middle of the season, trying to protect his lead, and he did manage to protect it. He drove very aggressively perfect race in Brazil,” Lauda said.

Like all mothers anxious and nervous about their child’s performance, Jenson Button’s mother Simone Lyons said that the three laps were the longest ever. She said that she always believed that Button would do it after all the efforts he put in.
Even after clinching the title in Brazil, British driver Button finished third in Abu Dhabi, in the final races of the season and the first finish to the podium in four races.

On claiming the world title, Jenson Button dedicated his world championship win to his girlfriend Jessica Michibata. It is said that Button banned his girlfriend from coming to Brazil to concentrate on winning the title. However, Button after winning the title said that he was thankful to his family and Michibata.

The 29-year-old Button said that the going would be tough next year with a determined Lewis Hamilton waiting to snatch the title. It has been my dream since a kid to win the title, Button said. A battle royal is on the cards next year with Ferrari and McLaren joining Brawn and Red Bull for the individual and constructor’s title.

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