Jenson Button is Crowned F1 World Champion 2009
Button & Brawn GP Defy the Odds to Become Formula 1 World Champions
Oct 25, 2009
In December 2008, Jenson Button’s future in motor sport was in doubt following the demise of the Honda F1 team, 10 months later he celebrates becoming the 10th British Formula One World Champion. Meanwhile, the employees of Brawn GP, based at the factory in Brackley, Northamptonshire, have gone from facing redundancy to clinching the Constructor’s title.
When Ross Brawn announced Brawn GP would rise from the ashes of Honda F1, few could have predicted the success they have seen. The story of the 2009 Formula One championship is the type of fairy tale normally consigned to the big screen, but as Formula One fans around the world watched in awe, the team defied all odds to secure their place in the history books.
British F1 World Champions – from Lewis Hamilton to Jenson Button
As Lewis Hamilton clinched the F1 title in the dying seconds of the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix, many in the F1 world expected him to dominate the sport and there were expectations that the championship would remain in British hands in 2009. However, few predicted it to be another British driver who would return home as world champion a year later.
It took ten years for Jenson Button to emerge as a world champion but as he finished the Brazilian Grand Prix in 5th place to clinch the championship, the relief in his voice was evident. The emergence of the young talent of Lewis Hamilton had consigned Button to being Britain’s forgotten driver and whilst he may not have had the instant success of Hamilton, his achievement is certainly no less deserved.
The Demise of Honda F1 Racing
Since its buyout of BAR in 2005, the Honda F1 team failed to make its mark on the sport. Following an initial 4th place in 2006, the team began to decline and struggled to be a competitive force. The start of the 2008 season saw Ross Brawn, the ex-Ferrari Technical Director, employed as Team Principle. However, despite his influence, the team finished the season in 9th position, with a disappointing 14 points.
In the midst of a global economic crisis, on the 5th December 2008, the Japanese team announced they were pulling out of Formula One, unable to afford the rising costs. The decision not only meant Button and Barrichello were without drives but also left the 700 employees at the Brackley factory facing redundancy.
The Creation of Brawn GP
Three months after Honda’s decision to quit, the announcement was made on the 6th March 2009 that Ross Brawn had bought the team and within a fortnight they had been renamed to Brawn GP.
Just three weeks after the buy-out, they arrived at the first race of the season in Melbourne, Australia. As a new team facing a large number of redundancies just to survive, securing their future and scoring a few points in 2009 would have been seen by most as a major achievement.
Australian F1 Grand Prix 2009
As the season commenced, Jenson Button and Brawn GP stormed to victory in the inaugural race at Melbourne, the relief was evident and the initial apprehension was replaced by an air of expectation. As both the Ferrari and McLaren teams struggled to compete with the Brawns and Red Bulls, there was a feeling around F1 that this was going to be a very different year.
After the first seven races, Button seemed unstoppable, with an impressive 61 points and having won 6 out of the 7 races. However, his decline throughout the remainder of year made many question his mentality and whether he truly had what it takes to be world champion as his lead gradually decreased race by race.
Brazilian F1 Grand Prix 2009
A rain drenched qualifying saw Button qualify a disappointing 14th on the Interlagos grid. However, as Sunday dawned, the rain disappeared and lady luck began to shine on Jenson as various first lap incidents meant he suddenly found himself promoted to ninth position. Luck wasn’t the only factor contributing to Jenson’s success, from the lights going out he drove like a man possessed, with victory in his sights he completed several outstanding overtaking manoeuvres. The hunger and determination that hadn’t been witnessed since the first half of the season returned with a vengeance.
Barrichello's luck went from bad to worse and, in the dying laps Brazilian hearts dropped as he picked up a puncture and once again failed to deliver at his home race. As the Brazilian fans streamed away from the grandstands, thousands of miles away a nation was on the edge of its seats as Britain prepared to welcome a new hero into its hearts.
Whilst the sight of Jenson Button crossing the line in 5th position may not have carried the same last minute excitement of Hamilton sealing the title a year ago, his achievement is no less deserved.
Formula One World Champion
From Button’s rendition of 'We are the champions' over the radio, to an emotional Ross Brawn on the pit wall and the celebrating mechanics in the pit garage, the relief and raw emotion was there for all to see.
For a team that ceased to exist a year ago, to rebuild into a championship winning team is a feat that few could achieve. After the race, a tearful Ross Brawn paid tribute to his team as he remembered the sacrifices that were made with cutbacks at the start of the season.
Formula One is a sport that has frequently been referred to as dull, boring and predictable following years of domination by the teams of McLaren and Ferrari. However, the emergence of Brawn GP as not just a title contender, but 2009 world champions has brought with it a much needed breath of fresh air.
Jenson Button’s story is one of grit, guts and determination. Many thought the driver had had his day but his perseverance shows that sometimes hard work does pay off and he should be seen as an inspiration to others. Nine years of disappointments will be long forgotten as Button goes down in history books as the 2009 Formula One World Champion.
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