News
5th January 2015, 19:30
After months of uncertainty surrounding his future in Formula One racing, Jenson Button saw in the New Year in style after confirming an extended deal with McLaren and then marrying long-term partner Jessica Michibata in Hawaii.
Ahead of the 16th year of an illustrious F1 career that has included one world championship crown, 15 victories and 50 podiums, we look back at a selection of the Briton's finest drives over the years - from fairytale wins to wet-weather masterclasses and the most epic of all comebacks...
Making a splash as a rookie, Germany 2000
He had already scored points in just his second Grand Prix in Brazil, but it was at Hockenheim that Button truly announced himself in his maiden F1 season. From last on the grid - the consequence of his engine not firing up - the Briton initially struggled to make headway up the order. A mid-race safety car helped him make progress, but it was a late shower that truly transformed his fortunes. On a track that swung from dry to wet and back again - and at different rates in different areas - Button showed the qualities that would become his hallmark, judging conditions to perfection to charge up the order and clinch fourth courtesy of a fantastic late pass on Sauber's Mika Salo.
The first pole, San Marino 2004
Fresh from two straight podiums, Button produced a breath-taking lap at Imola in 2004 to claim his first F1 pole position, a quarter of a second ahead of Ferrari's Michael Schumacher - and a full second clear of his BAR team mate Takuma Sato. The Briton kept that advantage at the start, leading Schumacher as the pair rapidly pulled away from the rest of the field. The Briton would lose the lead - and ultimately the victory - at the first round of pit stops, but finished a comfortable second, with Williams' Juan Pablo Montoya completing the podium. "It was another fantastic race for me," he said afterwards, having demonstrated superlative one-lap and race-distance pace. "Second is another step closer to our ultimate ambition - a first win for me and the team."
One-handed heroics, Germany 2004
Button arrived at Hockenheim on a sensational run of six podiums and 10 points finishes from the first 11 Grands Prix of 2004. And despite a 10-place grid drop forcing him to start from 13th, he left with that record - and his burgeoning reputation - very much enhanced after what he later labelled "without doubt the best race of my F1 career". Though his first lap yielded just one gain, he was soon scything his way through the field: he led twice as his rivals made earlier stops, and by mid-distance was hounding Renault's Fernando Alonso in a fight for second. The scrap was the showpiece of the race: Button pulling alongside the Spaniard several times as they hit 330km/h, only for Alonso to hang on. Finally Button outfoxed his rival, diving down the inside at Turn 8 to snatch a brilliant second. Even more remarkable was the fact he was driving with one hand in the build-up: a loosening strap meant his helmet was lifting up on the straights, drawing the strap tight against his throat and making it hard to breathe. His incredible charge meant the Briton, one-handed or not, finished just eight seconds off a possible first F1 victory.
Button stuns in the wet, Hungary 2006
Bizarre summer thunderstorms meant this was destined to be a race of theatre and upsets even before Button's charge. But through his brilliance in tricky conditions the Briton would dominate all the headlines: after 113 races without a win, his wait was ended in fitting style. He was the man to watch at the start as he made rapid progress from 14th on the grid - the result of an engine change penalty - to rise up to fourth after just seven laps. His progress continued, and by mid-distance he was second and fighting to close up on Renault's Fernando Alonso. The pair's battle would be decided 19 laps from the finish: Button took the lead as Alonso pitted for the final time, but the Spaniard's day was soon over as a loose rear wheelnut forced him to retire. Button claimed the chequered flag, sparking wild celebrations on the Honda pit wall and again on the podium. "If my voice sounds funny, it's because I've been screaming so much," Button laughed afterward. "I didn't want the race to end. What a day!"
The unlikeliest of triumphs, Australia 2009
This was fairytale stuff: after a winter of uncertainty and discontent, Button and Brawn romped to pole and victory in Australia, delivering an empathic early statement about their 2009 title credentials. Only a few months before, the Briton hadn't even been sure he would be on the grid; now he had his second Grand Prix win and a car that was the clear class of the field as the season kicked off. It was that turmoil that made the win so special - the race itself was less eventful, with Button starting on pole and leading every lap despite late pressure from Sebastian Vettel and Robert Kubica. "This win is for me, my family and my team," Button beamed afterward. "It's been a traumatic few months and I want to say a massive thank you to them all for being so strong and never losing belief. And what's so exciting is that there is so much more to come
More... (http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2015/1/16753.html)
Ahead of the 16th year of an illustrious F1 career that has included one world championship crown, 15 victories and 50 podiums, we look back at a selection of the Briton's finest drives over the years - from fairytale wins to wet-weather masterclasses and the most epic of all comebacks...
Making a splash as a rookie, Germany 2000
He had already scored points in just his second Grand Prix in Brazil, but it was at Hockenheim that Button truly announced himself in his maiden F1 season. From last on the grid - the consequence of his engine not firing up - the Briton initially struggled to make headway up the order. A mid-race safety car helped him make progress, but it was a late shower that truly transformed his fortunes. On a track that swung from dry to wet and back again - and at different rates in different areas - Button showed the qualities that would become his hallmark, judging conditions to perfection to charge up the order and clinch fourth courtesy of a fantastic late pass on Sauber's Mika Salo.
The first pole, San Marino 2004
Fresh from two straight podiums, Button produced a breath-taking lap at Imola in 2004 to claim his first F1 pole position, a quarter of a second ahead of Ferrari's Michael Schumacher - and a full second clear of his BAR team mate Takuma Sato. The Briton kept that advantage at the start, leading Schumacher as the pair rapidly pulled away from the rest of the field. The Briton would lose the lead - and ultimately the victory - at the first round of pit stops, but finished a comfortable second, with Williams' Juan Pablo Montoya completing the podium. "It was another fantastic race for me," he said afterwards, having demonstrated superlative one-lap and race-distance pace. "Second is another step closer to our ultimate ambition - a first win for me and the team."
One-handed heroics, Germany 2004
Button arrived at Hockenheim on a sensational run of six podiums and 10 points finishes from the first 11 Grands Prix of 2004. And despite a 10-place grid drop forcing him to start from 13th, he left with that record - and his burgeoning reputation - very much enhanced after what he later labelled "without doubt the best race of my F1 career". Though his first lap yielded just one gain, he was soon scything his way through the field: he led twice as his rivals made earlier stops, and by mid-distance was hounding Renault's Fernando Alonso in a fight for second. The scrap was the showpiece of the race: Button pulling alongside the Spaniard several times as they hit 330km/h, only for Alonso to hang on. Finally Button outfoxed his rival, diving down the inside at Turn 8 to snatch a brilliant second. Even more remarkable was the fact he was driving with one hand in the build-up: a loosening strap meant his helmet was lifting up on the straights, drawing the strap tight against his throat and making it hard to breathe. His incredible charge meant the Briton, one-handed or not, finished just eight seconds off a possible first F1 victory.
Button stuns in the wet, Hungary 2006
Bizarre summer thunderstorms meant this was destined to be a race of theatre and upsets even before Button's charge. But through his brilliance in tricky conditions the Briton would dominate all the headlines: after 113 races without a win, his wait was ended in fitting style. He was the man to watch at the start as he made rapid progress from 14th on the grid - the result of an engine change penalty - to rise up to fourth after just seven laps. His progress continued, and by mid-distance he was second and fighting to close up on Renault's Fernando Alonso. The pair's battle would be decided 19 laps from the finish: Button took the lead as Alonso pitted for the final time, but the Spaniard's day was soon over as a loose rear wheelnut forced him to retire. Button claimed the chequered flag, sparking wild celebrations on the Honda pit wall and again on the podium. "If my voice sounds funny, it's because I've been screaming so much," Button laughed afterward. "I didn't want the race to end. What a day!"
The unlikeliest of triumphs, Australia 2009
This was fairytale stuff: after a winter of uncertainty and discontent, Button and Brawn romped to pole and victory in Australia, delivering an empathic early statement about their 2009 title credentials. Only a few months before, the Briton hadn't even been sure he would be on the grid; now he had his second Grand Prix win and a car that was the clear class of the field as the season kicked off. It was that turmoil that made the win so special - the race itself was less eventful, with Button starting on pole and leading every lap despite late pressure from Sebastian Vettel and Robert Kubica. "This win is for me, my family and my team," Button beamed afterward. "It's been a traumatic few months and I want to say a massive thank you to them all for being so strong and never losing belief. And what's so exciting is that there is so much more to come
More... (http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2015/1/16753.html)