Oliver Rudgewick reports on Jenson Button joining the Race of Champions this weekend at London’s Olympic Stadium.
2009 Formula One World Champion Jenson Button will race alongside double British Touring Car Champion Jason Plato for Team England at the Race of Champions.
Button has had four previous appearances at the Race of Champions. In 2009 after his World Championship win, he made it to the semi-finals.
Speaking to the Race of Champions website Button said: “I can’t wait to be back to the Race of Champions again- and especially to be racing at home at London’s former Olympic Stadium.”
In 2008, Button and British Touring car driver Andy Priaulx finished runner-up in the Nations Cup at Wembley Stadium the last time the competition visited London.
Button has a wealth of experience in Formula One after competing in over 280 Grand Prix weekends since his debut in 2000 at Williams.
After a solid start to his career in the pinnacle of motorsport, it took Button seven years to record his first race victory.
The memorable day came at the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2006 with Honda Racing. The Brit has won 14 more races since his first victory ten years ago.
Unfortunately Honda Racing did not provide Button with a chance to challenge for more wins during his time with Japanese team. However, the teams withdrawal from the sport at the end of 2008 made it nearly impossible that he would continue in Formula One.
Ross Brawn, Honda’s Team Principal at the time, bought the team and kept the Honda car that they had developed for the 2009 season.
Brawn also kept Button and Veteran Rubens Barrichello for the 2009 season that would become a historical year for British motorsport.
The Brawn GP car became the quickest car on the grid in Formula One in 2009, which allowed Button to win another six races and the Driver’s World Championship.
Button joined McLaren for the 2010 season. The British driver recorded another eight race wins with the team and currently partners Fernando Alonso.
Button will join fellow Formula One stars including Sebastian Vettel, Nico Hulkenberg, Daniel Ricciardo, Felipe Massa and Romain Grosjean.
The Race of Champions starts on Friday 20th November.