Ross Brawn and Jenson Button were awarded an OBE and MBE respectively by Her Majesty The Queen in the tradition New Year’s honours
Jenson Button and Ross Brawn have been honoured by the Queen in Her Majesty’s New Year’s Honours List.
Button received the MBE from the Queen after winning the 2009 Formula 1 World Driver’s Championship – his first world title after a decade of trials and tribulations in the sport.
The British driver was humbled by the recognition.
“To be recognised by Her Majesty The Queen and the British people is a tremendous honour for me,” he said.
“I’m incredibly proud to have joined the likes of Mike Hawthorn, Graham Hill, Jim Clark, John Surtees, Sir Jackie Stewart, James Hunt, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill and Lewis Hamilton as British Formula 1 world champions.
“The past 12 months have provided me with such an exhilarating journey. We literally started with nothing, but had the belief, determination and passion to take on the world and succeed.
“Everybody at Brawn GP played their part – and it was down to their expertise, dedication and hard work that we were able to achieve so much.”
The 29-year-old has now left the Brawn GP squad and will partner fellow Brit Lewis Hamilton at McLaren.
But while the Brawn GP name won’t be in F1 next year after a majority share was sold to Mercedes, Brawn himself was acknowledged by the Queen, receiving the OBE for more than 30 years of service in motorsport.