No party as champ Button returns to Europe

Jenson Button is formula one’s new world champion, after finishing the Brazilian grand prix in fifth placeAs winner Mark Webber, as well as Robert Kubica and Lewis Hamilton, sprayed champagne on the podium, the Brawn driver celebrated in the Interlagos pitlane below.

“It’s really amazing … my voice has gone!” said the 29-year-old Briton after singing ‘We are the champions’ and screaming into his radio on the slowing-down lap.

Button had started the race from 14th on the grid, completing several passing moves including who he described as the “absolutely crazy” debutant Kamui Kobayashi, and the Brawn driver insists it was a champion’s drive.

“After the last few races, this one makes up for it,” he said.

Brawn GP, established from the ashes of Honda’s works team less than a year ago, also win the constructors’ world champion by at least 9.5 points over Red Bull.

Pole sitter Rubens Barrichello led the opening stint of his 71-lap home race, but fell behind later on and ultimately finished just eighth after Hamilton punctured his rear tyre during an overtaking move.

Sebastian Vettel had a strong race through the field to fourth and overtakes Barrichello for second in the championship, but even if the Red Bull driver wins in Abu Dhabi in two weeks, Button wins the title by 5 points.

No party as champ Button returns to Europe

Jenson Button will not be celebrating his world championship this evening in Brazil.

It has emerged that the Brawn driver, who clinched his childhood dream at Interlagos on Sunday, must return to Europe almost immediately in order to attend a PR function for the team sponsor Virgin early this week.

His father John, himself a former rallycross champion, will be aboard the late Sunday flight with his 29-year-old son, who first got at the wheel of a go-kart at the age of 8.

“I’m a bit drained,” John Button, 63 and a constant figure in the paddock since his son’s debut in 2000, told British television BBC.

“The last seven or eight laps, we were all crying like little girls.  I’m all washed out at the moment, I’ve got to accept where he is now, up there with all those great names.  I haven’t got my head round it.”

source: GMM