Jenson Button: My championship year (Book review)

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Of the glut of books which have appeared on the subject of Britain’s other F1 superstar Lewis Hamilton, the authorised biography was one of the less interesting efforts.

The official word on Jenson Button’s extraordinary championship-winning season promises a more personal angle incorporating his race-by-race notes on the season and even text messages from his friends and family. Is it enough to make it a cut above a typical Christmas cash-in?

A copy of “My championship year” arrived with amusing timing a few weeks ago. The book, which has “foreword by Ross Brawn” emblazoned on the front of it, landed on my doormat on the same day Button confirmed his sensational split from the team that made him champion.

There’s no hint of an explanation for why the Brawn-Button split happened to be gleaned from the book. It takes the story from Honda’s shock withdrawal 12 months ago to Button and Brawn’s double championship triumph. Remarks on the future are conspicuously absent.

The book adds a twist to the usual season review by narrating it in diary form and including some of the many messages exchanged between Button and his family and friends – from his mum to the tabloids’ new favourite Jessica Michibata.

By far the most interesting passages are the opening chapter which covers the aftermath of Honda’s shock withdrawal – and the second where Button describes his excitement at discovering how potent the BGP 001 was.

In other places it feels a bit by-the-numbers and lapses into the kind of prose you expect to find in a press release.

But it’s generously illustrated and keenly-priced and as such is likely to sell very well.

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Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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7 comments on “Jenson Button: My championship year (Book review)”

  1. I got my copy signed in Bristol a couple of weeks ago, glad to know that it’s an ok read when I get round to it (too many other F1 books to read first!)

  2. from his mum to the tabloids’ new favourite Jessica Michibata.

    My favourite quote from Jenson regarding his girlfriend was

    I could stare at her all day long

    Dude, your not the only one.

    1. I know how he feels…

      …I could stare at my girlfriend all day long…but she’d tell me off for embarrassing her!!

      1. I actually meant stare at Jensons girlfriend.

        But hey if your girlfriend is that hot I’d stare at her too!.

        1. I’m staring at both. *stalks*

  3. I have on my hand two books of F1
    1.Fuel Injected Fact Book
    2.The Official Guide

    Both are awesome to me,want to write an article on it need your help keith.

    1. Yes, the Fuel-Injected Fact Book by Adam Hay-Nicholls is really good fun. Best Xmas prezzie I found this year…

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