MSA congratulates Jenson Button, 2009 FIA Formula 1 World Ch

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MSA congratulates Jenson Button, 2009 FIA Formula 1 World Champion

The Motor Sports Association (MSA) – governing body of UK motor sport – offers its warmest congratulations to Jenson Button and the Brawn GP team who today clinched the FIA Formula One World Championship after a thrilling race in Brazil.

Colin Hilton, MSA Chief Executive:
“Jenson has done a fantastic job this year and we are all delighted for him. For those of us who have followed his career as he came through the ranks of UK motor sport, it was always clear that he had the makings of a future world champion. The team have obviously given him the right equipment this year and he has delivered spectacularly.

“For Brawn GP to have come so far in last 12 months is also a remarkable achievement and says a great deal about the leadership talents of Ross Brawn and Nick Fry. It also underlines the calibre of the motor sport industry in this country – an area in which Britain clearly leads the world.

“For the UK to enjoy back-to-back F1 world championships is a wonderful boost for the sport. Thanks to Lewis and Jenson’s successes, we are seeing a surge of interest in motor sport – particularly at the grass roots level.

“We are grateful to both of them for their support of the Go Motorsport campaign which is designed to show people that there is so much more to the sport than just Formula 1. There are 5,000 motor sport events around the country every year and you don’t need a lot of money to get involved.

“Meanwhile, for those youngsters inspired by what they’ve seen in F1 this season, Let’s Go Karting offers them a chance to have a first experience of karting for just £5 at one of 20 venues across the UK. We have had 7,000 young people take that first step on the ladder in the last 18 months – perhaps among them we may have seen the 2020 World Champion?

“For now, however, on behalf of the whole of British motor sport, I would like to congratulate Jenson on his stunning achievement in becoming Britain’s tenth Formula 1 world champion.”

British F1 World Champions

Mike Hawthorn 1958
Graham Hill 1962, 1968
Jim Clark 1963, 1965
John Surtees 1964
Jackie Stewart 1969, 1971, 1973
James Hunt 1976
Nigel Mansell 1992
Damon Hill 1996
Lewis Hamilton 2008
Jenson Button 2009

Ends

Release MSA09-043: 18 October 2009

For media information only. No regulatory value.

Issued on behalf of the Motor Sports Association
For further information please contact Ben Taylor
Telephone: +44 (0)7866 449940 E-mail: media@msauk.org