Burning Rubber: Button, Hamilton duo will rock F1 burning rubber

I had an enlightening hour face-to-face with world champion Jenson Button and his McLaren teammate and preceding title-holder Lewis Hamilton last week.

And if the atmosphere at our get-together is anything to judge by then the indications are that Formula One's all-British partnership, a mutual admiration society, is destined to be both amicable and productive with each man full of praise for the other.

Button, down to earth, easy going and jolly and the rather more serious, though intermittently smiley Hamilton, enjoy a crossover respect that clearly wipes out any envy between them.

They have known each a long time and, indeed, Hamilton told me — and much to Button's surprise — it was he who suggested to McLaren's management hierarchy that they should bid to capture the new champion as his teammate for the upcoming season as long ago as last October.

It is history now that Button somewhat surprisingly defected from Brawn GP — now re-formed as Mercedes and with legend Michael Schumacher storming to a comeback with the silver-liveried outfit and being impressive in his first outing in Valencia — and accepted McLaren's £6 million (Dh34.4 million)-a-year offer.

Together, and then separately out of each other's ear shot, Hamilton and Button professed professional mutual regard with an emphatic denial that there will be any jealousy or rivalry other than that which they both need to show on the track where it most matters.

What did Hamilton think of Button, such a sensational winner of the title last season?

"What he achieved was remarkable," came the smiled response, "and you have to be full of admiration for the way he won the championship"

— Ted Macauley is a UK-based writer specialising in motorsport.