Ladies and gentlemen... who am I kidding.... ladies. At the time of the writing of this article, we are 41 days away from the first F1 race of the season in Australia (so it will definitely be less by the time you read this.
Last week, I introduced my first piece in The American Fangirls Guide to Formula One article series. Today, I start the first of the driver specific pieces. I wanted to start with the driver who first opened my eyes to the awesomeness that is Formula One.
British driver Jenson Button is quickly turning into the grand old gentleman of Formula One. Button first emerged in F1 in the year 2000 as a driver for the small (but always spunky!) Williams team. In the 16 years which have followed, Button slowly climbed the ranks of F1 through teams like Brawn, Honda and Benetton. Button won the F1 drivers championship during the 2009 season (with Brawn), before finally coming to rest with the McLaren team in 2010. Button turns 36 years old this year, and shows no signs of relenting in a sport which is becoming increasingly dominated by teenagers.
McLaren has been Jenson Button’s home since then, where Button has been an integral part of a roster that has included World Champions Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso. While another Championship has so far eluded him (and given McLaren’s performance over the last two season, this will likely continue) Button has been a sterling figure of consistency within the struggling team. With experience, Button has developed a smooth driving style, allowing him to coax everything he can out of a temperamental car.
As a fan, I was struck by Button’s personality and temperament as an athlete. In recent years, the performance of the McLaren car can only be described as dismal. And in the face of almost constant disappointment, Button’s optimism (and that contagious smile) has been admirable. He keeps any pouting and temper tantrums out of the public eye, instead emphasizing the continual hard-work and effort necessary in the sport. It can be assured that Jenson Button will take the car out and give the race his all until the car will give no more.
It was Jenson Button who first drew me to Formula One, and it has been his attitude and consistency that has kept me following the sport since 2012. It has been a rough go for my boys at McLaren the past couple of years, but this writer hopes that they can put together one more good run before Button’s eventual retirement.
Last week, I introduced my first piece in The American Fangirls Guide to Formula One article series. Today, I start the first of the driver specific pieces. I wanted to start with the driver who first opened my eyes to the awesomeness that is Formula One.British driver Jenson Button is quickly turning into the grand old gentleman of Formula One. Button first emerged in F1 in the year 2000 as a driver for the small (but always spunky!) Williams team. In the 16 years which have followed, Button slowly climbed the ranks of F1 through teams like Brawn, Honda and Benetton. Button won the F1 drivers championship during the 2009 season (with Brawn), before finally coming to rest with the McLaren team in 2010. Button turns 36 years old this year, and shows no signs of relenting in a sport which is becoming increasingly dominated by teenagers.
As a fan, I was struck by Button’s personality and temperament as an athlete. In recent years, the performance of the McLaren car can only be described as dismal. And in the face of almost constant disappointment, Button’s optimism (and that contagious smile) has been admirable. He keeps any pouting and temper tantrums out of the public eye, instead emphasizing the continual hard-work and effort necessary in the sport. It can be assured that Jenson Button will take the car out and give the race his all until the car will give no more.
It was Jenson Button who first drew me to Formula One, and it has been his attitude and consistency that has kept me following the sport since 2012. It has been a rough go for my boys at McLaren the past couple of years, but this writer hopes that they can put together one more good run before Button’s eventual retirement.
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