Jenson Button
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Button at the 2010 Hungarian Grand Prix
Jenson Alexander Lyons Button MBE (but-ən; born 19 January 1980) is a British Formula One driver currently signed to McLaren. He was the 2009 World Drivers’ Champion.
Button began karting at the age of eight and achieved early success, before progressing to car racing in the British Formula Ford Championship and the British Formula Three Championship. He first drove in Formula One with the Williams team for the 2000 season. The following year he switched to Benetton, which in 2002 became Renault F1, and then for the 2003 season he moved to BAR. They were subsequently renamed Honda for the 2006 season, during which Button won his first Grand Prix in Hungary, after 113 races.
Following the withdrawal of Honda from the sport in December 2008, he was left without a drive for the 2009 season, until Ross Brawn led a management buyout of the team in February 2009, and Button suddenly found himself in a highly competitive, Mercedes-engined car. He went on to win a record-equalling six of the first seven races of the 2009 season, and secured the 2009 World Drivers’ Championship at the Brazilian Grand Prix, having led on points all season; his success also helped Brawn GP to secure the World Constructors’ Championship. For 2010, he moved to McLaren, partnering fellow British racer and former world champion Lewis Hamilton. After finishing fifth for the team in 2010, Button finished the 2011 season as runner-up to World Champion Sebastian Vettel.
