London - Jenson Button was the toast of Britain Monday as the country rejoiced in the Formula One drivers' title clinched by the Brawn GP pilot at the Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paulo. Button has endured stinging criticism in the second half of the season as teammate Rubens Barrichello and Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel slowly but surely whittled down the enormous lead the 29-year-old built up by winning six of the opening seven races.
But all that is now forgiven and forgotten as Button produced what The Times described as "the drive of his life" to become the 10th British driver to win a F1 drivers' championship.
"Over 10 years in Formula One, Button has faced regular criticism from those who said he was a mere playboy who lacked the stomach for a fight in the toughest series that motor racing offers," the paper noted Monday.
"But yesterday, around the classic track at Interlagos, he silenced his critics once and for all with a series of beautifully executed passing manoeuvres."
The Sun was also full of praise for Button's aggressive drive, when he managed four overtaking moves to finish fifth and see off the challenge of Barrichello and Vettel.
The tabloid also revealed that Button didn't know himself if he could live with the pressure that surrounded him in this season's run-in.
"He said he wasn't sure if this was the day when he could drive like a world champion. That the pressure might be so crippling he would be happy enough just to drag his car over the line. Well, he fooled us all," wrote The Sun.
"After a disastrous streak of nine races without a win, we had dusted down the Bottler Button headlines. Yesterday, though, he wrote his own: Jenson Butt-kicker."
The Mirror also pointed to Button's reputation as a playboy, saying that, at last, the driver "is hitting the headlines for what happened on the racetrack rather than off it."
Button's achievement is all the more remarkable considering his Brawn team was formed from the wreckage of Honda's withdrawal from the sport late last year and Ross Brawn did not effect his management buy-out until just before the season began in March.
The team also had to shed 350 staff and Button took a voluntary 50 per cent pay cut to retain his seat.
"The irony is, though, that Brawn's achievements this year are likely to be a one-off," wrote the Telegraph.
"With Mercedes due to be taking a controlling interest, it is likely to be renamed by next spring. Still, you can't say they didn't make their time in the sun count."
