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Jenson took part in his first kart race at the age of 8. It was wet and as an inexperienced beginner he had to start last. He passed the whole field and won with a big margin. 1989 - 1994 Won 7 British Championships. The only Cadet Champion to date, to move up to Juniors and win the Junior British Championship at the first attempt, (in 1992). 1991 Jenson competed in 34 races and won them all, and is to date, the only person to achieve this. All of those 34 races were big meetings with absolutely full grids, with a minimum of 24 starters! 1995 Winner of the Senior ICA Italian Championship. World Championship ICA: qualified on pole, went up on two wheels and off whilst leading the final comfortably. He caught the attention of many specialists that season, amongst them the President of the FIA/CIK, Mr. Buser, who granted him an International A License in order for Jenson to take part as the youngest ever in the World Championship for Formula A in France Jenson won his semi-final, led every lap in the final except the last one when his tyres were worn out and finished 2nd - as the Youngest Ever Vice-Champion at 15.
1996 European Formula A Championship: 5th. American Championship at Charlotte: 3rd. Jenson missed testing and went straight into qualifying on this very difficult and technical track, and put it on pole in his 5th flying lap! World Cup (Suzuka, Japan): 3rd. Jenson had a huge accident in the semi-final and was knocked unconscious and taken to the medical unit. He came back to the track, had to be lifted (leg injuries) into his spare kart and had to start at the back of the field in 34th position. Jenson fought his way through to finish in 3rd. When the chequered flag dropped he was catching the two leaders quickly, but sadly the race was one or two laps too short! That race, driven in pain, is one of his biggest achievements and certainly a sign of great determination.
1997 Works driver for Team GKS-Tecno Rotax Bridgestone. Winter Cup (warm-up for the European Championship) 2nd. European Super A Championship: European Champion - Youngest winner ever at 17, and the first person to win it in his maiden season in the category. World Championship: - Jenson and Manetti (bumper to bumper) had pulled away from the rest of the field in the final when sadly, Jenson's engine seized. World Cup (Suzuka, Japan): Whilst fighting for the lead in the final, Jenson was forced to retire when his chain snapped. In the semi-final he had already fought through from 18th place on the grid to second. As a token of the impression that the British driver's determination had made on the crowd, the president of the FIA/CIK, Mr. Ernest Buser, presented him with the Ayrton Senna Memorial Cup, awarded to the best driver at the meeting. "With his smooth style and ability to pass anywhere," stated Mr. Buser to the press, Jenson reminds me so much of Senna".
Formula Ford
20 Races - 15 Podiums - 9 Wins - 10 Fastest Laps - 11 Pole Positions
In 1998 Jenson Button made his debut in racing cars with the Formula Ford Haywood Racing team, after making the step up from karts to cars at the age of just eighteen years old. Haywood Racing team boss, Jim Warren had seen many talents come and go over the years, but had never come across a talent such as Jenson's. He described his abilities as quite literally, "amazing". He continues, "Jenson possesses the capability of learning a track within ten laps, something I have never seen before. This ability, coupled with an insatiable will to win, makes him the most exciting British prospect to come out of Karting in years." Jenson went on to win many timesin 1998, making a total of fifteen podium appearances, with nine of those being a race win for the teenage sensation from Somerset. Jenson added eleven pole positions and ten fastest laps to his catalogue of successes in 1998, winning the British Formula Ford Championship and finishing as Vice-Champion in the European Championship. Jenson's performance at the rain drenched Hockenheim circuit in October 1998 was truly astounding, as he left his rivals in their tracks with his sheer speed and car control in the wet. Jenson took the chequered flag in his Haywood Racing Mygale with fifteen seconds to spare between him and second place. Those who didn't already know about rising star Jenson Button, certainly did by the end of that weekend. The last race of 1998 for Jenson was the world famous Formula Ford Festival held at Brands Hatch. Jenson dominated the field in his heats and clinched first place in the finals after a sensational race between himself and Australian Marcos Ambrose. 1998 came to an end on a high with Jenson winning the coveted title of the McLaren Autosport Young Driver of the Year Award on Sunday December 4th. McLaren team boss, Ron Dennis, presented Jenson with his award, a cheque for £50,000.00 and the promise of a test with the McLaren Mercedes F1 team. Dennis made a prediction that Jenson would make it to Formula One by 2002. Three years seemed feasible in the eyes of many, but who would have believed that Jenson's F1 debut was to be in just over one year? So ended the stunning season of 1998 for one Mr. Jenson Button.
Formula 3
16 Races - 7 Podiums - 3 Wins - 3 Fastest Laps - 3 Pole Positions
1999 - where Formula Three beckoned with a sponsored ride in the Promatecme Renault F3 team. In the past this has always been a privilege reserved only for drivers emerging from the ranks of Formula Renault. Jenson certainly made his mark in the British Formula Three Championship, and after clocking up three victories, seven podiums, five fastest laps and three pole positions, Jenson claimed third place in the championship behind Luciano Burti and Marc Hynes. A burst of podium finishes in the latter part of the season helped Jenson to win the title of Avon Rookie of the Year. He achieved all this despite the fact that the Renault engine was not able to match the power of the Mugen-Honda's used by the championship leaders. Jenson's superior car control and ability shone through at the Macau and Korean International Formula Three Grand Prix's. He dominated the performance of fellow rookies in his ability to get up to speed on the narrow street circuits and finished a superb second in both races.