Jenson Button won the Formula One world title on this day in 2009 after a fifth-place finish at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
A combination of brilliant driving and dramatic incidents saw the Brawn GP driver elevated into fifth spot at Interlagos, while rivals Sebastian Vettel and Rubens Barrichello finished fourth and eighth, respectively.
That left Button with a 15-point cushion over Vettel, with Barrichello two points further back with just one race remaining.
He became the 10th British driver to win the top prize in motor racing, inheriting the crown from compatriot Lewis Hamilton, the 2008 champion.
The 29-year-old Button may not have wrapped it up in the way he would have liked, having won six of the first seven races of the season, but his Brawn team also claimed the constructors’ title just over 10 months after they appeared to be on the scrapheap when Honda pulled out of the sport.
The tears and the champagne flowed at the end of 71 laps, with Button’s father John admitting he and his son “cried like babies” when they
embraced each other after the race.
“You don’t win the world championship and feel relief, you feel ecstatic,” Jenson Button said.
“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.
“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.”
Button completed the 2009 season with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix two weeks later, finishing 11 points clear of Vettel.
He moved to McLaren the following season and was runner-up to Vettel in the 2011 title race. He retired from F1 in 2017.
Verstappen underwhelmed by 'boring' Monaco Grand Prix
Max Verstappen reflected on a "really boring" Monaco Grand Prix during a "weekend to forget" for Red Bull.
The world number one failed to improve on his sixth-place start, after struggling to catch George Russell as he failed to finish on the podium for just the second time this season.
Verstappen fared better than team-mate Sergio Perez though, as the Mexican was involved in a huge crash just seconds into the race, forcing him out of it after an already poor qualifying.
Despite being underwhelmed by their performance in Monaco, Verstappen said there were still positives to take from it.
After the race, he said: "This has been a really tricky challenging weekend with a lot of damage [to Perez's car]. Probably a weekend to forget, but also one to learn a lot from.
"The only positive to come out of this weekend is that we understand what our big weakness is and that's what we really have to work on. I think if we can solve that and make it decent, we can gain a lot of lap time and we need to do that.
"We finished where we started. The strategy got ruined with the red flag, so we had to back it up on the medium [tyre]. From lap one on the restart, it was driving four seconds off the pace. Just really, really boring.
"Naturally we will [see more excitement in Canada]. It still won't be the easiest weekend because of the curbing - our cars aren't very good at that. They've resurfaced the track though, so that might bring something unexpected.
Monaco Grand Prix win a 'dream', says Leclerc
Charles Leclerc says he has fulfilled his dreams after winning the Monaco Grand Prix for the first time.
After claiming pole for the third time on home soil, Leclerc was able to hold onto first and finish on the Monaco podium for the first time.
Despite an early red flag forcing a restart, the Monegasque was in control throughout, finishing seven seconds ahead of second-place Oscar Piastri.
It is Leclerc's first win of 2024, and Ferrari's second of the season after Carlos Sainz’s victory at the Australian Grand Prix in March.
Speaking after Sunday's victory, he said: "No words can explain that. It's such a difficult race. I think the fact twice I've been starting on pole position, and we couldn't quite make it makes it even better in a way.
"It means a lot, obviously. It's the race which made me dream of becoming a Formula 1 driver one day.
"Fifteen laps to the end you're hoping nothing happens, and the emotions are coming.
"My dad has given everything for me to be here, and it was a dream of ours for me to race here and win here, so it's unbelievable.
"A huge thank you, the parade laps were special and seeing so many of my friends and people I know in the balcony, it was just very special. This one means a lot."
Piastri put in an assured drive to finish second, holding off Sainz to prevent a Ferrari one-two and was pleased with the way the race turned out.
"Thanks to the team. It's been a great weekend all-round. Nice to put a result on the board. I've been strong the last few weekends but didn't have the result to show for it. Nice to have a podium," he said.
"Charles has been mega all weekend. They have been quick from the very first lap.
"I'm happy with P2. A good result for the team. Very, very happy."
Leclerc secures maiden Monaco Grand Prix win
Charles Leclerc secured his first win at the Monaco Grand Prix, cruising to victory on home soil despite a first-lap red flag.
A huge crash between Kevin Magnussen and Sergio Perez seconds into the race saw the early red flag come out after the Dane tried to squeeze through a narrow gap but flipped the Red Bull instead. Both drivers were unharmed but unable to continue.
Having claimed his third pole in Monaco on Saturday, Leclerc followed that up with his first podium finish here, crossing the line seven seconds ahead of McLaren's Oscar Piastri.
Leclerc's Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz held off a charging Lando Norris to claim third, even after a tangle with Piastri during the initial start, though it did not affect his restart position.
George Russell rounded out the top five, holding off Max Verstappen – who was not able to improve on his sixth-place start – capping a disappointing weekend for Red Bull.
Data Debrief: Curse-breaker
Leclerc is the 35th driver to win at his home Grand Prix. He has claimed pole three times in Monaco (2021, 2022, 2024), and has finished on the podium for the first time in his sixth Formula 1 race there.
The Monegasque had already created history in qualifying, earning Ferrari's 250th pole in Formula 1 history, while claiming his 24th for the Italian team in the process.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
