JENSON BUTTON

Jenson Alexander Lyons Button MBE (born 19 January 1980) is a British racing driver currently under contract with McLaren-Honda, as a reserve driver. He is the 2009 FIA Formula One World Champion, driving for Brawn GP. Button announced in September 2016 that he would be giving up his seat at the end of the 2016 season but announced that he would remain at McLaren as a reserve driver and ambassador of McLaren until 2018.

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 3 Championship. He first drove in Formula One with Williams for the 2000 season. The following year he switched to Benetton, which in 2002 became Renault, and then for the 2003 season he moved to BAR. In 2004 he finished 3rd in the World Drivers' Championship, with only the two Ferraris ahead of him. BAR was 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, securing the 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.