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Jenson Button signs with McLaren

Posted by Hootan Mahallati | November 18, 2009 | In formula 1 motorsports

After several days of speculation, it has been confirmed that 2009 F1 World Champion Jenson Button will be a McLaren driver as of next season. In a reported multi-year deal, Button will join previous champion Lewis Hamilton as the first all-British driver pairing since Jim Clark and Graham Hill raced together at Lotus in 1968.

Jenson Button says that his switch was influenced by McLaren’s history, technical abilities and ambition to win that permeates the entire organization.

"It’s always a difficult decision to leave a team when you’ve been there for so long," Button, who joined BAR in 2003, said. "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. So that’s why I’ve decided to join Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. “

Hamilton has been welcoming of his fellow Brit. "I'm delighted to be racing alongside a fellow British world champion," he said. "Obviously, as a British driver, I'm also thrilled that we'll be flying the flag for the United Kingdom, and I think today's announcement is fantastic news for all British sports fans. I hope they'll be giving us their full support when the season kicks off next March. I'm already looking forward to Silverstone – it'll be massive!"

Button’s switch sets in motion some more interesting moves within the driver market. While Nick Heidfeld is being considered as Nico Rosberg’s teammate at the newly christened Mercedes GP (formerly Brawn GP), reports now suggest Michael Schumacher may return to F1 in Mercedes’ new team, marking a return to the company that supported his racing career in the early days.

[Source: ITV-F1]

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