It wasn't the final race he was hoping for but for McLaren driver Jenson Button, it was what he got when on lap thirteen, when he was running in thirteenth place, the British driver was forced to retire from the season ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with his right-front suspension failed.
"A suspension component failed on the car – which very rarely happens to us. I had a failure on the right-front – and I'm just glad I was able to figure it out before I hit the brakes [for Turn 11],” Jenson explained. “It's always been a massive strength of our team that components so rarely fail, but today – of all days – something did, which is just unlucky. Nonetheless, I enjoyed today massively.”
It may have brought the curtain down a little early on an illustrious 17-season 305-race Formula 1 career, but it did little to dampen his spirits after an emotional weekend filled with friends, family and great memories.
“My race was short, but I loved everything else. I was really emotional before I got in the car – it was such a special atmosphere to have the whole team and all my friends and family cheer me on my way into the garage. I'm just glad I was wearing my sunglasses at that moment... I'm very content with all I've achieved in my career. Now, it's done. I live in the moment, though, and tonight's going to be a helluva lot of fun!”
For Jenson, a new chapter in his life begins on this morning (after a well-earned lie-in); while the rest of the paddock packs up and starts thinking about 2017 in earnest.
