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 with Colin Hilton, MSA Chief Executive speaking out about the brilliant job conducted by Button and his Brawn team all season long....

“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