Sao Paulo: Jenson Button and his Brawn GP team were crowned Formula One champions with a race to spare in an action-packed Brazilian Grand Prix won by Red Bull's Australian Mark Webber on Sunday.
Button finished fifth to become Britain's 10th world champion, with closest rival and team mate Rubens Barrichello suffering the heartbreak of a late puncture and crossing the line eighth after starting his home race on pole position.
With a British flag proclaiming 'Great Button' draped over his shoulders, Button stood and shouted, 'I am the champion', over and over again.
"I am the world champion, baby, and I'm not going to stop saying it. This race for me was the best race I've driven in my life, probably. I know it's because of the emotion involved with it but also because I knew I had to make it happen," he said.
A day after the disappointment of qualifying 14th in a rain-delayed qualifying, Button was reduced to tears of joy and utter relief at the circuit where he scored his very first point as a 20-year-old.
He bawled "We are the champions" over the team radio on his slowing down lap, leaped from the car after parking up and sprinted to the pits to hug his father John, sobbing like a child, and embrace mechanics.
"I couldn't get him off me," said Button senior, clutching a champagne flute and gently swaying like a man in dreamland with a look of disbelief across his craggy features.
"He was like a limpet, crying his eyes out. He was just saying 'I am world champion' - well, screaming it - non stop."
Sleepless nights
The sleepless nights and inner torment, with critics accusing him of allowing the crown to slip through his fingers while others questioned whether he would be a worthy champion, were swept away.
"It's more than relief. You don't win the world championship and feel relief," said the Briton, who less than a year ago had wondered whether he had a future in Formula One after Brawn's predecessors Honda pulled out.
"This is the end of the fairytale," he said. "All of the bad memories and the good memories go through your mind, not just from this year but from previous years in the sport.
"The last few races were pretty stressful for me. Also I read too many papers and magazines, so there were some negative comments...there's been a lot of good stuff written about us this year as well and so there should be. This team has done staggeringly well.
"I don't think there has been a season like it in Formula One. So it's great to sit here as world champion and I personally think I thoroughly deserve it. I am it. I am a world champion. I'm going to keep saying that all night."
Physically sick
Button revealed that he had felt physically sick after Saturday's setback, sitting in his room as closest rival and team mate Rubens Barrichello took pole position for his home grand prix.]
Struggling to score points in recent races, Button recognised it had been a stressful end to the season. His girlfriend, Argentine-Japanese lingerie model Jessica Michibata, had not accompanied him to Brazil and he had to face his demons alone.
"Without Jessica here, I was all on my own," he grinned.
"I did actually ask the boys if they would come and stay in my room last night because I knew it was going to be a tough night's sleep, but they didn't.
"It was weird, because I dreamed on Friday night that qualifying was going to be terrible and it was. I also dreamed that night that I was going to win the world championship this weekend, so maybe there is some truth in dreams.
"I have come out on top. I am world champion. What other words can I use?," he said. "It's getting boring. No it's not...I am going to enjoy this moment like you would not believe. "You can do that when you've won, can't you?"
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