Jenson Button

Jenson Button was a British racing driver born on 19 January 1980, the 2009 Formula 1 World Champion and one of the most stylish and smooth drivers of his generation. He waited nearly a decade for his first win before a dream season delivered the title.

Button entered Formula 1 with Williams in 2000 and spent years in the midfield with Benetton, Renault, BAR and Honda, taking his maiden victory at the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix. When Honda withdrew, the team was reborn as Brawn GP, and Button seized the moment, winning six of the first seven races to clinch the 2009 Drivers' Championship. He then joined McLaren, where he won further races and partnered Lewis Hamilton, before retiring with 1 title, 15 wins, 50 podiums, 8 poles and 1,235 points from 309 starts.

A master of changeable conditions, Button was celebrated for his exceptional feel for grip and tyre management, which produced some of the finest wet-weather drives of the modern era. His fairytale 2009 title with the underdog Brawn squad remains one of the great stories in Formula 1 history.

Button was admired for his exceptionally smooth driving style, gentle on tyres and brilliant in unpredictable, wet conditions where his sensitivity for grip set him apart. Patient and consistent, he turned a long wait for success into a championship triumph that endeared him to fans, and he remains one of Britain's most respected world champions.