Zoom Hamilton gives Button championship advice

The championship baton is set to pass from Lewis Hamilton to fellow British racer Jenson Button following the season finale in Abu Dhabi. Both claimed championship honours in Brazil on successive seasons and the McLaren star knows exactly the elation that his Brawn rival is currently feeling.

“Becoming world champion is a strange and unreal feeling,” Hamilton said. “I heard on Sunday that Jenson kept on saying, “I’m champion, I’m world champion,” and I kind of knew exactly what he meant. It’s all too much to take in at once – especially in one day.

While Button may have had more time to get used to the idea of being world champion courtesy of his season-long lead in the championship, Hamilton admits it took him some time to get used to the concept.

“For me, I still don’t really think of myself as world champion,” he admitted. “Of course, when I first saw the number one on my car, it really meant something, and when I arrived at Melbourne for the first race, it also meant something new to me. But I still have the same determination to succeed that I’ve always had.

“My only advice for Jenson would be to let it slowly sink in, and to enjoy it. Being champion will pull you in directions that you hadn’t previously thought about, and it’s all about resetting your balance, finding calmness and refocusing for the new challenges ahead. But it’s also an incredibly uplifting feeling, a total relief and it brings something special to your life. He’ll be a great champion.”

E.A. © CAPSIS International