Jenson's Journal | Entry 05: World title memories, feeling part of the Aston Martin family and why it pays to avoid walking under ladders

Whenever I think of Interlagos, so many memories come flooding back. 

My first F1 race there was in 2000, just my second Grand Prix, and I scored my first World Championship point. It's also where I took my last win in F1, in 2012, and, of course, there was 2009, when I clinched the World Championship. 

I've always loved Interlagos. It's a fast, flowing, old-school racetrack, and the Brazilian fans are incredibly passionate about their racing. They're patriotic, too, which makes life interesting when you've got a Brazilian team-mate! In 2009, that added another layer to the challenge, because I was fighting to win the championship ahead of Rubens Barrichello. 

Winning the World Championship in Brazil is obviously my career highlight – and huge congrats must go to Kimi Antonelli on winning his first title last time out in Mexico, making him the youngest champion of all time. 

Dealing with that pressure – leading the championship for so long – is no easy feat. And to do it at just 20 years old is quite remarkable; I have to say hats off to him and his team –  a few of them at Brackley were there during my time when the team was Brawn, and it's amazing to see them still hungry for success. They've set the bar in this new era of F1 and it’s now up to us to give Lance and Fernando the tools so we can catch them, and then raise the bar higher. 

In the end, Kimi won it at a canter, but I'm sure it wasn't quite as straightforward as it looked. It never is. 

In my title-winning year, we had a great car at the start of 2009, but as I started winning races, the pressure grew. I put more and more pressure on myself to win every race, as though anything else would have been a failure. You forget that finishing second or third is still a great result, especially when you're looking at the bigger picture of a championship. 

I tightened up. I wasn't getting the maximum out of myself at certain races, and we weren't developing the car at the same rate as our rivals. Other teams were catching up, and I didn't handle the pressure particularly well. 

When we got to Brazil, the penultimate round of the season, I was still leading the championship but Qualifying proved very difficult. Free Practice had gone well, but Qualifying was rain-affected so tyre choice was crucial. I was on the Wets rather than the Intermediates in Q2 and we cooked them – I ended up 14th. Rubens was on pole, while my other championship rival, Sebastian Vettel, was 15th. A mixed bag of a result in that sense, and I was feeling down afterwards. 

The Brazilian fans were delighted to see me so far down the order, which didn't exactly help my mood. That evening, I went out for dinner and, as I left the restaurant, a Brazilian journalist had put a ladder outside for me to walk through; a bad-luck superstition. I should have laughed it off, but I didn't. The team and I went out through the back door instead. 

That's how much pressure I'd put on myself. Even something as small as that could affect me. 

My dad pulled me to one side that night and asked me what was going on. He reminded me of everything I'd achieved throughout my career and during the season. "You are going to have bad moments," he said. "That's part of racing. You're going to lose more than you win, and what matters is how you pick yourself up after. How you respond." 

I went to bed thinking he was absolutely right. I slept amazingly, woke up the next morning and saw our Team Principal Ross Brawn as I walked into the circuit. I told him there and then: I'm going to win the World Championship today. 

It was a complete change of mindset. I went into the race knowing what I needed to do, rather than worrying about everything that could go wrong. 

That lesson has stayed with me. In this sport, there will always be difficult periods. You can't let one bad weekend define you, and you never know what's around the corner. That's something I think the team here at Aston Martin can take heart from. It's about keeping perspective, sticking together and responding in the right way when things don't go to plan. 

People remember watching the celebrations in our garage and my, er, singing of Queen's 'We Are The Champions' over the radio. But the feeling of winning a championship is quite different from winning a race. 

A race win is pure adrenaline. You're going crazy, living in the moment. A championship brings a different feeling. There's a huge sense of relief because you've finally achieved something you've worked towards for so long. 

When I got out of the car in Brazil, I saw Mikey 'Muscles' Collier, my physio, and then my dad. He gave me a huge bear hug and didn't let go for ages because he was crying his eyes out. Then I went into the garage and saw the team. There was champagne everywhere. It was an incredible moment. 

I went back to the hotel, got ready and spent about an hour celebrating out with the team, but then I returned to my room on my own and sat on the bed for a couple of hours, just letting everything sink in. 

I thought about my whole career, going back to when I was eight years old. You think about everything you've given up along the way, all those weekends when you weren't seeing your friends, the good times and the bad times, and all the work that goes into reaching that one goal. 

It was lovely to have that peace and time to reflect. Eventually, it dawned on me that I'd achieved my dream. I'd become World Champion. And then I thought: what do I do now? 

I didn't really know. I just knew I needed something fresh to get stuck into, which is when I decided to go to McLaren and race alongside Lewis Hamilton. That certainly gave me a new challenge! 

Racing in São Paulo always comes with a special atmosphere – though sometimes it's against you. I remember before the race in 2009, as I stood on the grid, the fans were booing me! Obviously, they wanted Rubens to win. A few British journalists even came over to stand with me in support, which was a really nice gesture. 

After the race, I got out of the car and took my helmet off, expecting more of the same but, instead, everyone was cheering. 

It felt great. They'd put me under so much pressure at the start of the race, and I wasn't the person they wanted to see win the title. But I think there was a respect for what I'd achieved, even if it wasn't the result they were hoping for. 

That's the thing about Brazil. The passion is incredible, and it creates an atmosphere you don't get at most circuits. There's a real party feeling around the Grand Prix, with great food, great restaurants and a brilliant energy throughout the weekend. 

The celebrations after the race are always great, no matter where you finish. Brazil was one of those places where you wanted to stay on the Sunday night. At some races, you're ready to get home as quickly as possible but, in São Paulo, you wanted to spend more time with your mates and the team. It was always a fun place to be. 

I'm so pleased it's remained on the calendar for so long. It's great for the sport that we have a regular presence in South America – and for a similar reason I'm excited to see the sport is returning to Africa in the coming years. 

For the sport to truly be a World Championship, it needs to be visiting every continent – and soon we can say we'll be doing that. The digital renders I've seen of the circuit in Rwanda look very cool – I wonder if Fernando is tempted to stay in the sport until then... 

As this is my last entry of the season, I also wanted to look back on my first year as a Team Ambassador for Aston Martin Aramco. 

One of the things that has stood out most is the positive vibe within the team. It's been a difficult year in terms of results; we're not where any of us wants to be right now. But there's a real sense of positivity and belief, which is important when you're going through challenging times. 

Even though the team has grown considerably over the last few years, it still feels like a big family. Everyone is friendly and it genuinely feels like home. 

When things aren't going your way, you need people pulling together, believing in what they're doing and working towards the same goal. You can't always control the results you get in the short term, but you can control how you respond and how you work as a team. 

I've had a great time getting to know the team and representing us at various events – meeting different partners and learning about everyone who’s playing a part in our journey to becoming regular World Championship contenders. 

I've also been reflecting on the sport's new regulations. I think it's fair to say some aspects took a little while to get used to at the start of this year, which is to be expected when there are such significant changes in the rulebook. 

But I've really enjoyed the new formula as the season has evolved. The racing has been great. What I really like is the way the cars are moving around. They're dancing. That's how it should be. With the ground-effect cars in previous seasons, you couldn't always see the cars moving in the same way. Now, you can see them working, and you get a better sense of the different styles of the drivers. 

There will always be things to refine, and I think the tweaks coming for 2027 will move us in an even better direction. The important thing is that we keep building on what's working and make sure the racing remains at the heart of it. 

That's what excites me about the future. F1 is constantly evolving, and the challenge is to make sure every change makes the sport better for the drivers, the teams and the fans. 

I've got a feeling 2027 will give us plenty to talk about, but I'll save that for next year. For now, I'm putting the pen down, and I'll dust off the journal in the new year. Until then, thanks for reading. 

Jenson's Journal

READ MORE

Feature

31 Aug 2026

Jenson's Journal | Entry 04: Fernando's future, knowing when to leave F1, and living in Italy's 'City of Steel'

Read more

Feature

21 Jul 2026

Jenson's Journal | Entry 03: "Get in there!" Hungary 2006... 20 years later

Read more

Feature

29 May 2026

Jenson's Journal | Entry 02: Monaco, baby! The inside guide to life in the Principality

Read more

Feature

19 Mar 2026

Jenson's Journal | Entry 01: Japan, Aston Martin, and the little things that stick

Read more

Announcement

2 Feb 2026

Jenson Button appointed Team Ambassador for Aston Martin Aramco

Read more

1 — 5

READ IT FIRST

Jenson's Journal

I / AM members get early access to Jenson's Journal. Sign up now to get the next entry delivered direct to your inbox and unlock access to more exclusive content, competitions, and experiences.

SIGN UP NOW

Make it yours

2026 Replica Team Kit

Formed with precision, worn with pride. 2026 demands a fresh approach. Shop the collection.

SHOP NOW