British F1 World Champions (Part 2)

BACKGROUND

Founded in 1963 by New Zealander Bruce McLaren and originally known as Bruce McLaren Motor Racing limited, the Formula 1 team - titled currently as Vodafone McLaren Mercedes - is now competing in its 45^th Formula 1 season after making its debut at the Monaco Grand Prix during 1966.

Here we take a look at the career highlights to date of the 2008 and 2009 British Formula 1 World Champions, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, who are currently racing for the team:       

Lewis Hamilton was born in Stevenage, Kent on 7^th January 1985. After graduating from karting to single-seaters, Hamilton then rose through the ranks of Formula Renault, Formula Three Euroseries and the GP2 championship eventually earning his maiden Formula 1 test and a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes race seat for 2007.

His debut season was stunning and he appeared on the podium for his first nine races he ended 2^nd in the Drivers' Championship by a single point. In 2008, aged just 23, Hamilton became the youngest World Champion in Formula 1's history. 

Jenson Button was born in Frome, Somerset on 19^th January 1980. One of his first major racing achievements was taking first place in the Karting British Super Prix aged just nine.  His journey to Formula 1 saw him compete in the British Formula Ford and British Formula Three Championships.  

Button made his Formula 1 debut with Williams in 2000, and went on to drive for Benetton, later renamed Renault, BAR subsequently renamed Honda and then following a management buyout : Brawn.  

After a number of difficult seasons, his talent and tenacity paid off as he won six of his first seven races during the 2009 season and ultimately became a World Champion.

SPECIFICATION

Date of issue: 27 October 2011
Designer: Two Degrees North
Printer: Lowe Martin
Values: 36p, 47p, 61p, 65p
Process: Offset Lithography
Stamp sizes: 27.8mm deep x 45mm wide
Paper: 110gsm unwatermarked
PVA Adhesive
Perforation: 13.3 x 12.95
Sheet: 10
Cylinder: A