Jenson Button : F1 career in pictures
- Published
Jenson Button makes his Formula 1 debut in 2000, driving for BMW Williams. Although he is all smiles leading up to the Australian Grand Prix, he endures a first weekend in which he smashes his car into a wall on the Saturday, then recovers to drive well on Sunday.
Button qualifies 16th for the 2000 German Grand Prix, but a brilliant drive in the rain allows him to finish fourth in the race behind Rubens Barrichello, Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard.
Button lines up with his Benetton team-mates Giancarlo Fisichella, Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber in 2001.
Button misses the 2003 Monaco Grand Prix after escaping serious injury during a 180mph accident in free practice. The driver is physically unharmed but has slight nausea.
Button has to wait 113 races before clinching his first win in F1, at the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix. He masters tricky conditions to come from 14th and win the race.
Button has a tough time with Honda in 2008, scoring points from only one race, the Spanish Grand Prix.
Button secures a dream debut victory for the Brawn GP team after dominating the 2009 Australian Grand Prix. The Englishman leads throughout, picking up his second F1 win, while team-mate Rubens Barrichello completes a Brawn one-two.
It is a wonderful 2009 for Button as he wins the world title for the first and only time so far. He wins six of his 17 races for Brawn GP, including four poles and nine podium finishes.
Button triumphs in Australia again in 2010, this time with a tactical decision to change to dry-weather slick tyres, which proves crucial in a race dominated by changing weather, crashes and breathtaking racing.
The 2010 Korean Grand Prix features Button, team-mate Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber in contention for the title. Alonso wins the race for Ferrari, but Vettel ends up winning the title.
Button takes a stunning victory in a dramatic, rain-affected 2011 Canadian Grand Prix by passing Sebastian Vettel on the last lap. Vettel's Red Bull runs wide under pressure to gift the win to Button, who recovers after a collision with McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton.
Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel wraps up the 2011 world title at the Japanese Grand Prix, but the race is won by Button. He triumphs in an intense three-way fight between himself, Vettel and Fernando Alonso.
In January 2014, Jenson's father, John, passes away at the age of 70. He was a strong influence on his son's career.
Button is a keen triathlete and has raised money for cancer research via his own triathlon trust.
McLaren retain Button for the 2015 season, ensuring his F1 career will continue into a 16th season. He will race alongside new signing Fernando Alonso, while Kevin Magnussen will remain with the team as test and reserve driver.
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