Jenson Button savoured an "awesome race" in Brazil after he clinched the world title with a fifth-placed finish at Interlagos.
British driver inherits crown from compatriot Hamilton
Jenson Button savoured an "awesome race" in Brazil after he clinched the world title with a fifth-placed finish at Interlagos.
The 29-year-old became the 10th British driver to be crowned champion, inheriting the honour from compatriot Lewis Hamilton.
Having started from 14th on the grid, Button made the most of an eventful start to the grand prix to steer his Brawn GP car through the field.
His nearest rivals were unable to take the season down to the wire, team-mate Rubens Barrichello finishing eighth despite starting on pole, while Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel finished fourth.
Sunday's result also enabled the Brawn team to secure the constructors' championship ahead of Red Bull at their first attempt.
Button offered an out-of-tune rendition of Queen's "We Are The Champions" after crossing the finishing line before returning to the pitlane to take the plaudits of friends, family and wellwishers.
"Oh what a race. I am world champion, I am world champion. It's been such an interesting season," he said, embracing his mechanics before a congratulatory hug from Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone.
One of the first people to embrace Button was his father John, a former rallycross driver who bought the new world champion his first go-kart at the age of eight.
"I couldn't get him off me," said Button senior, clutching a champagne flute. "He was like a limpet, crying his eyes out. He was just saying 'I am world champion ' - well, screaming it - non stop."
Uncertainty
Button's title success comes at the end of a season he was not sure of starting when Honda withdrew its support from the team last December.
Despite the uncertainty, he pledged his future to them and also took a substantial pay cut in the knowledge that the team potentially had a front-running car at their disposal.
A management buyout led by team principal Ross Brawn only secured the team's future less than a month before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
Amazingly, Button then led Barrichello to a one-two finish in Melbourne and the fairytale gathered pace as he won five of the next six races.
But his form began to suffer from mid-season as an inherently smooth driving style left him unable to generate heat - and therefore grip - in his tyres on cooler tracks.
Barrichello and the Red Bull pairing of Vettel and Mark Webber came on increasingly strong, with Ferrari and McLaren doing the same to take wins.
His surge became more of a crawl and Saturday's qualifying session had appeared another symptom of the late-season malaise.
Summing up his feelings, Button said: "You don't win the world championship and feel relief, you feel ecstatic.
"All the memories, good and bad, go through your mind, not just from this year, but previous years in the sport, especially this year.
"I had such a great start to the season and then the last few races were pretty stressful for me because the pace was there, but we struggled a few times.
"It made it very difficult for me because mentally that hurts when you are not able to get the best out of the car that day, but also I read too many newspapers and magazines and there were some negative comments.
"It's tough when you are a driver and you are at the top of your game, but the great thing is there's a lot of good stuff that has been written about this year, and so there should be.
"This team has done staggeringly well and what we've achieved this season after the winter we've had is exceptional, and I don't think there has been a season like it in Formula One.
"It's great to be sat here as world champion and I personally think I thoroughly deserve it. I've been the best over 16 races and that's what world titles are all about.
"I am it. I am a world champion and I'm going to keep saying it, especially after a race that for me was the best I've driven in my life.
"I know it's because of the emotion involved with it, because also I knew I had to make it happen, and that's why I'm sat here as the world champion.
"I'm going to enjoy this moment like you would not believe, and you can do that when you've won."
Sick
"When I woke up this morning I knew I could do it," added Button, who nevertheless conceded to feeling "sick" after seeing Barrichello put his car on pole on Saturday.
"In the last few races I did everything I could with the package I have, and today was no exception.
"I understand it's boring talking about me finishing, sixth, fifth, fourth or whatever, that I did a reasonable job, but that doesn't sell newspapers.
"I understand it's exciting to talk about me winning races, that I am losing it, or whether I'm a worthy world champion and all that.
"But none of it matters because I am sat here as the world champion, and that's something you can never take away."
