Jenson Button’s fifth place finish in Brazil on Sunday was  exhilarating, the drive of a World Champion and the culmination of a difficult journey for his Brawn GP team. In January this year, after Honda had pulled out of Formula One, it looked as though Button, the engineers and everyone involved in the team would be out of a job and the toil of the previous years would all be in vein. But what a turn around this season has been.

Button has always been unfairly criticised – predominantly for a “playboy” lifestyle – but the talent has always been there even when the right car hasn’t. Two years of hard work on a Renault car ended when owner Flavio Briatore replaced him with Fernando Alonso and six years of loyalty in a weak Honda car (2004 and 2006 aside) produced an avalanche of criticism about his abilities. But given the right car and button has proved to be an exceptional driver.

It doesn’t stop here, however. When the celebrations die down Button will need to turn his attentions to next season. A World Champion wins one title, a world-beater wins two or more. What Button and his Brawn GP team have achieved is remarkable but any sentiments should stop there. Button has been incredibly loyal in the past and if Brawn can deliver another quick and reliable car for 2010, then he should sign again. But if they cannot, and the opportunity arises to move into a quicker car, he must take it – because victory again and he will become a British great.