Hero's homecoming for triumphant Button 20 Oct 2009
Just days after securing the 2009 drivers’ title with a fifth-place finish in Brazil, Brawn GP’s Jenson Button is back in Britain to continue his celebrations on home soil. After flying in from Sao Paulo overnight, Button attended a promotional event at Kent’s Bluewater Shopping Centre on Tuesday, and used the opportunity to describe how it feels to win his first-ever world championship.
“It’s quite surreal,” said the British driver during a press conference. “I got off the plane and came straight here. It’s been an emotional flight back. This weekend has been pretty special for me and everyone who has been involved since the start of my career. I’ve spent 21 years racing with this goal in mind, which I have now managed to achieve.
“We’re not going to forget about this for a long time. Every morning I wake up, until next season, I’m going to have a smile on my face. I’ve had a difficult time of it in the past. It’s about staying strong in the difficult times. You need good people around you to keep you positive and keep your feet on the ground. I’ve made mistakes along the way but I’ve put them right and I think people appreciate that.”
With the drivers’ title in the bag, Button has made it clear he hopes to stay with Brawn for the 2010 season, and revealed he will discuss a new contract with the team soon.
“The most important thing for my career is to be in a competitive car, and this year I’ve had that," he explained. "I’m not looking for a new team. I want to be with Brawn. We just haven’t discussed it during the season. And it was right not to do so because we had to focus on winning a world championship. Now we can sit down and discuss it a bit more.”
After making merry with friends and family on Tuesday night, Button plans to visit the Brawn GP factory in Brackley on Wednesday to celebrate with UK-based team members. He’ll then jet off for a well-deserved break in Dubai before the season finale in Abu Dhabi gets underway later this month.
