Who is the 2009 world champion f1

The equation for Vettel was tougher; he needed a win just to stay in contention going into the final race. It was hometown hero Barrichello who took pole position on Saturday, putting himself in a good position to win on Sunday. It helped considerably that Button only qualified fourteenth. Barrichello had the advantage going into race day. There were incidents aplenty on the first lap of the race itself, although Barrichello remained unscathed in the lead of the race.

However, the drama of the opening laps saw Button climb up to ninth spot. Overtake on Romain Grosjean as well as Kazuki Nakajima put him into seventh place and into the points. However, he was held up by Kamui Kobayashi. Once Button did get past Kobayashi, he showcased his pace by building a three-second lead over the Japanese driver — in the space of one lap.

Button was keen to wrap up the title at Brazil itself, and it showed. He was helped considerably by the fact that Barrichello did not have the pace to keep the lead.

Jules Kulpinski, Button's PR, and Nicola Armstrong, the equally efficient head of communications at Brawn GP, had been alert to the growing problem as the precious minutes ticked by. As soon as they were able, their man was extricated from the celebratory mob, steered through congratulations at every step along the paddock and up an iron external staircase to first floor. Because it could not be planned beforehand, no one was aware of such a helpful action - as Button was only too aware when ushered into an interview room that was completely empty.

Journalists, pounding their keyboards in the nearby media centre, were stopped short by an unexpected and strident voice across the PA: "Where the hell is everyone? I'm Jenson Button!

I'm the World Champion! There would be one last call for the handful of British national newspaper writers. A briefing was arranged for noon the following day in the coffee shop of the Sao Paulo Hyatt. Sometimes these can be nothing more than a pleasant waste of time as the new champion, usually without sleep, often while coping with the unfamiliar effects of a hangover, finds difficulty in stringing a few words together.

But not on this occasion. Button had kept himself under control, the better to savour and remember such a rare and significant occasion the previous evening. He provided lucid comments as he recalled the moments we had shared around the globe.

There had been times of tension in the previous seven months but, overall, it had evolved into a wonderful sporting story with a happy ending. When we were done, Jenson made a point of hugging each in turn; a typically genuine impromptu gesture at the end of a memorable journey for us all.

Second-placed Red Bull needed two victories in last two races with Brawn GP scoring zero points in both races. Qualifying was repeatedly interrupted by a tropical storm which made it last 2 hours and 41 minutes, becoming the longest qualifying session in the history of Formula 1.

For the first time since the three-part qualifying format was introduced, the last part was attended by nine different teams.

With those six points McLaren jumped Ferrari in the fight for third place by single point which proved to be crucial as both teams failed to score in the last race of the championship in Abu Dhabi. Sebastian Vettel also made a good recovery from 15th and finished fourth, while Jenson Button finished fifth after starting from 14th on the grid which was enough to seal the title one race before the end of the season.

Rubens Barrichello finished only eighth after starting from pole position and third place in Barrichello's grip on his home race was loosened when he lost places after his first stop, crucially to BMW's Robert Kubica, who finished second. The Brazilian, who had started from pole position, lost third place with 10 laps to go as a storming Lewis Hamilton, who started from 18th after a disaster in the rain-hit qualifying session, benefited from an early safety car period.

Barrichello then suffered further disappointment with a puncture in the closing laps, being forced into the pits and rejoining in eighth. Button had also benefited from the safety car to make up places early on, showing his determination with a great move to pass Renault's Romain Grosjean, after which he also picked off Williams' Kazuki Nakajima.

Button made his first pit stop on lap 29, a clean routine bringing him out in 10th with two cars ahead still to come in. Barrichello, lying fourth, had all the work to do but his race unravelled and he was unable to keep his title hopes alive.