Jenson Button left emotional after special moment at F1 British Grand Prix

09 July 2023 , 12:35

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Jenson Button grins in the cockpit of the FW14B (Image: Williams Racing)

Jenson Button was grinning like a Cheshire cat after taking Nigel Mansell's famous Williams FW14B for a spin around Silverstone.

The British Grand Prix was due to mark the team's 800th race in Formula 1. But the cancellation of the Imola race in May means that milestone will now be reached in Budapest later this month.

But the celebrations have continued this weekend regardless. Williams are running a special one-off livery which sees the Union Flag adorned on the engine cover of their cars.

And Button, an ambassador for the team, took to the track just before noon on Sunday in the FW14B. The car, affectionately known as 'Red Five', was driven by Mansell to the 1992 world championship title.

After his go behind the wheel, Button couldn't stop grinning as he gushed about the experience while speaking to media, including Mirror Sport. He said: "It was unbelievable. I did the seat fitting in it yesterday and already it was pretty emotional just sitting in that car.

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"It was the car of probably a lot of our childhoods and that's the one that stands out because of the way Nigel was driving it. "I remember sitting on the sofa with the old man, watching all the races and seeing him clinch the title.

"I got in there, it's tiny inside! Obviously, the seat is fine because I drove it but the pedals, the steering wheel and everything... it's so small!

Jenson Button on track at Silverstone in the FW14B on Sunday (Williams Racing)

"But once you get on track [with] the sound of the engine and you never know what to expect when it's 31 years old. You're sat so high in the car but visibility is amazing. You can see so much compared to modern cars.

"And it's bloody quick. In a straight line, it's impressive, but the high speed [cornering] is sensational. It's far beyond what I expected. I only did two laps. So I didn't really get to the point where I could push it as I would like."

Regardless, it was a special experience for the 2009 world champion, who added: "What a pleasure. I feel so lucky to have been able to drive that car. It's a moment I'll remember forever."

Daniel Moxon