British Grand Prix diary: Button reunited with 2009 championship car at Silverstone

The Formula One paddock is a busy place that hosts a lot of serious business over a race weekend, but this blog aims to bring you some of the news stories you might otherwise miss ahead of the British Grand Prix.

Look who’s back…

Jenson Button returned to the cockpit of the Brawn F1 car he drove to the 2009 world championship ahead of this weekend’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

The Englishman conducted a demonstration run with the famous BG001 car that claimed the title in fairytale circumstances. The team had been saved from the ashes of Honda’s withdrawal from F1 at the end of 2008 and saved by Ross Brawn, who is now sporting chief of the championship.

Jenson Button driving his 2009 title-winning Brawn GP car at Silverstone ? pic.twitter.com/vBB1F1YabE

– ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) July 11, 2019

Button won six of the first seven races of the campaign and held off a mid-season resurgence from Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull to seal the championship.

Button took to the circuit on Thursday morning in the white and florescent green car, which famously ran for most of 2009 with minimal sponsorship on it. Button wore the matching helmet he designed for that campaign.

OMG that sound!? Missed that so much! Thank you @JensonButton @F1 pic.twitter.com/ofrhDzZOHw

– Louis Delétraz (@LouisDeletraz) July 11, 2019

The demo took place before the circuit opened to the public and will be shown on UK TV channel Sky Sports ahead of Sunday’s race.

The British Grand Prix takes place following Monday’s announcement of a new five-year deal between Silverstone and F1, which will keep the race at the famous Northamptonshire circuit until at least 2024. Silverstone hosted the first race of the F1 world championship in 1950.