Abu Dhabi to be last race of Jenson Button's career
What's the story
Former F1 World Champion Jenson button said that the upcoming Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be his last race. "I go into this weekend race thinking it's my last race," Button told the reporters. The 36-year-old Briton will be replaced at McLaren by Belgian rookie Stoffel Vandoorne, for the 2017 season. There is still an option for Button to return to McLaren in 2018.
Data
Career in numbers
Jenson Button was born on 19 Jan 1980, in Frome, Somerset, England. Having competed in over 300 races, Button has 15 wins to his name, 1 World Championship, 50 podium finishes and raced for 7 different teams.
F1 debut with Williams
Button's Formula One debut
Jenson Button burst onto the Formula One scene when he debuted as a 20-year-old race driver for Williams. At Williams, he partnered with Ralf Schumacher and scored 12 points to finish at 8th in the championship. His best result of the season was a fourth-place finish at the German Grand Prix. After he was replaced at Williams, Button moved to Benetton in 2001.
2003-2006
First podium finish and first F1 victory
Jenson Button moved to BAR-Honda in 2003 and the following year he took his first ever podium by finishing third at the 2004 Malaysian Grand Prix. In 2004, he secured nine more top-3 finishes, and ended the season third in the Championship, without winning a single race. It was only in 2006 that Button won his first F1 race, at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
2009, the top honour
Winning the Championship
In 2009 Honda team raced as Brawn GP, after a management buyout by team principal Ross Brawn. That season Button won six of the opening seven races and eventually claimed the most coveted Formula One Championship title, his first and only championship title. For his performance in 2009, he won the 2010 Laureus World Sports Award for Breakthrough of the Year.
2011-2012
2011 season and last victory
Button switched to McLaren in 2010. In 2011, he had a strong run and finished as the championship runner-up, behind Sebastian Vettel. In what he described as the 'best win of his career', Button claimed the 2011 Canadian Grand Prix in a dramatic fashion overtaking Vettel in the final lap. His last victory came at the 2012 Belgian Grand Prix.