Button - Next World Champion?

Jenson Button - the kid from Frome as he was known early in his career - is finally coming good, and showing the ability we always suspected he had.

There was a great deal of hype when he arrived on the scene in 2000. I remember he was hailed as a future world champion. The media went mad when Frank Williams announced that he would line up with the likes of Ralf Schumacher for the 2000 season! He managed to claim his first World championship point at Brazil, and finished 8th overall in the 2o02 Championship tables. Not a bad start for the youngster.

Then problems began to set in. He was dropped in favour of Juan Pablo Montoya and loaned out to Benneton for the next two seasons. Then Benneton became Renault! 2001 was a bad year for the team, and he was outclassed by Giancarlo Fisichella. Getting a better berth for his yacht in the harbour at Monaco than his boss Flavio Briatore most certainly brought things to a head!

His time with Williams in 2002 was better, and he regularly outclassed his team mate - Jarno Trulli.


At the end of 2002 he moved to BAR and was paired with Jacques Villeneuve. It was during the 2004 season that Villeneuve described Button as a "boyband member". Not surprisingly he announced in August 2005 that he had signed with Williams, but BAR insisted that held the only valid contract with Button! The sorry saga dragged on for some time until the Contract Recognition Board ruled in BAR's favour.

After joining Williams, he still had contractual problems, but could now afford to buy himself out of the contract.

He joined Honda, but during the 2007 season, poor results for him and a poor aerodynamic design on the Honda did little to help him. Even when Ross Brawn joined the team the 2008 season was not a great deal better for Jenson. Only one points score in eighteen races is not too impressive! Honda were now looking forward to the 2009 season, but then came the "spanner in the works". Honda announced that they were to sell their F1 team. On March 6th it was announced that Ross Brawn had bought the team, and the rest, so they, say is history!

So far Jenson has had 5 wins in six races. Could this be the next World Champion?

Now I wonder what happened to that guy called Lewis......?