LOT 002 - Jenson Button 2009 Brawn GP Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Weekend-Used Race Suit

Worn during the final Grand Prix weekend of one of Formula 1®'s most remarkable championship-winning seasons, this Jenson Button Brawn GP race suit comes from the 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where the British driver made his first appearance as the newly crowned World Champion. Just two weeks earlier, Button had secured his maiden and only Drivers' World Championship at the Brazilian Grand Prix, completing an extraordinary season for a team that had almost disappeared before the opening race. Now, this weekend-used suit offers a rare connection to the closing chapter of Brawn GP's historic year in Formula 1®. The Remarkable Story of Brawn GP At the end of 2008, Honda announced its withdrawal from Formula 1®, placing the future of its racing team and both its drivers in doubt. With just weeks remaining before the 2009 season, Ross Brawn led a management buyout, saving the Brackley-based operation and establishing Brawn GP. Few could have predicted what followed. Armed with the BGP 001 and its innovative double-diffuser design, Brawn GP arrived at the Australian Grand Prix and immediately established itself as a championship contender. Button secured pole position and victory on the team's debut, beginning an extraordinary run that would see him win six of the opening seven races. Victories in Australia, Malaysia, Bahrain, Spain, Monaco and Turkey gave Button a commanding advantage in the championship standings. However, as rival teams developed their cars and closed the performance gap, the second half of the season became increasingly difficult. Button would not win another race that year, with Red Bull emerging as a serious threat and teammate Rubens Barrichello claiming victories in Valencia and Monza. Despite the mounting pressure, Button continued collecting valuable points, ultimately securing the World Championship with a determined drive from 14th to fifth at the Brazilian Grand Prix. Against extraordinary odds, Brawn GP had won both the Drivers' and Constructors' World Championships in its debut season. The World Champion's First Grand Prix The 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix marked a significant moment in Button's career. Arriving at the Yas Marina Circuit with the championship already secured, he would compete for the first time as Formula 1® World Champion. The inaugural race in Abu Dhabi also marked the conclusion of Brawn GP's remarkable campaign. Qualifying fifth, Button fought his way onto the podium, challenging Mark Webber for second place in the closing laps before eventually finishing third behind the two Red Bull drivers. It was a fitting conclusion to a season that had begun with uncertainty and ended with Button celebrating the greatest achievement of his Formula 1® career. A Piece of Formula 1® History The significance of this race suit extends beyond Button's individual championship success. Brawn GP competed in just one Formula 1® season, entering 17 Grands Prix in 2009 before the team was acquired by Mercedes-Benz and became the Mercedes works team for 2010. Its brief existence, combined with its extraordinary success, makes original memorabilia from the team's only campaign particularly desirable. Associated with Button's first Grand Prix weekend as World Champion and Brawn GP's final appearance on the grid, this suit represents a rare opportunity to own an item from a defining chapter in modern Formula 1® history.