Jensen Button joins Lewis Hamilton at McLaren

Published on Wednesday 18 November 2009 22:11

JENSON Button is relishing the prospect of embarking on a fresh challenge after being signed by McLaren to partner fellow world champion Lewis Hamilton in a stellar all-British line-up.

McLaren have confirmed the arrival of Button on a "multi-year deal", ending weeks of speculation over the future of the 29-year-old, who wrapped up his maiden world title in Brazil last month. Button, who began his career at Williams in 2000 and has gone on to make 170 grand prix starts, will line up alongside Hamilton after parting company with Brawn GP, who were the subject of a takeover by Mercedes-Benz earlier this week.

Button's move to McLaren ends his seven-year association with the Brackley-based Brawn GP outfit, whom he joined in 2003 when the team was known as BAR before establishing himself as the team's number one driver prior to Honda's takeover in 2006.

Honda's subsequent withdrawal from F1 at the end of 2008 left Button's prospects looking bleak, before the rebirth of the team under the Brawn banner gave way to one of the most remarkable stories in the sport's history as Button romped to six race wins and the world title while the team claimed the constructors' crown.

While Button conceded it was a "difficult decision" to leave, he felt the lure of a new challenge was too strong to resist.

"It's always a difficult decision to leave a team when you've been there for so long," said Button. "But life is all about challenges and, most important of all, it's about challenging yourself. So, although I won the World Championship with Brawn GP last year, and I'll never forget that, I was always adamant that I wanted to continue to set myself fresh challenges."

The deal marks the first time in Formula 1 history that a team has started the new season with a line-up featuring the two most recent world champions, and is the first pairing of two British world champions since Graham Hill partnered legendary Scot Jim Clark at Lotus in 1968.

Button has reportedly agreed a three-year deal worth 6million a season.

Heikki Kovalainen, Hamilton's team-mate of the last two seasons, must now find a drive elsewhere.