With Lewis Hamilton’s departure, Jenson eased into the position as the team’s reference point for 2013. Clearly, both he and the team enjoyed a very close relationship, and the Englishman was relishing his elevated status as he welcomed the arrival of his new team-mate, Mexico’s Sergio Perez.

Despite turning 33, Jenson’s preparations for a new season of grand prix racing proved that he was as fit as any of the young drivers entering the sport, including his new team-mate, nicknamed ‘Checo’.

Jenson was continuing to excel in his passion for triathlons and was competing in his own team ‘Ichiban’ (which translates as ‘Number One’).

That winter he trained in climates as diverse as The Philippines with high humidity and 38 degrees C, to Cannes in the south of France where temperatures were barely about zero and raining. “Those days,” he remarked, “hurt like hell…

“Triathlons are very similar to Formula 1,” he continued. “It’s the clock the whole time. When you look at the swim, bike, run and the transitions, it’s all about being as quick as you can on each of them. But there’s also the mental side of it. I’ve pushed myself through things I never thought I would. And I’ve been through pain that I never thought I would.”

That mental strength was important in a season where the McLaren MP4-28 wasn’t the strongest car on the grid. It was a chassis that lacked downforce and was heavy on tyre degradation, but despite the problems, Jenson enjoyed some close dices with his new team-mate, notably in Bahrain and Monaco. As the season wore on, Jenson also talked about his new responsibilities within the team.

“It’s a great feeling,” said the Briton. “People ask ‘is it a lot more pressure?’ and maybe it is. But I enjoy that. I enjoy knowing that my comments about the feeling of the car will really be listened to by the team.”

His senior status wasn’t just at McLaren, but was felt more widely in the sport as Jenson Button MBE became a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, alongside Sebastian Vettel.

Despite the lack of performance, there were many reasons to celebrate during 2013. At the Hungarian GP the Button family turned out in force to congratulate his father John who turned 70, and across that golden summer McLaren were commemorating their 50^th anniversary.

There was another landmark achieved at the end of the year, as Jenson Button eclipsed David Coulthard’s record of 246 grand prix starts, making him the most experienced British driver in the 63-year history of the Formula 1 world championship.

To honour the achievement, he returned to his hometown of Frome to drive his McLaren through the streets, turning on the town’s Christmas lights to celebratory cheers. It was a poignant reminder of his roots and upbringing in Frome – exactly 25 years had past since he unwrapped that first kart given to him by his father on Christmas morning…

In January 2014 came the devastating news that John Button had died of a heart attack at the age of 70. Speaking at his memorial service at Goodwood House, Jenson was moved by the outpouring of emotion and the overwhelming popularity for his father from the Formula 1 community. At the 2014 British GP many fans wore ‘Pink For Papa’ shirts, Jenson himself changing the colour of his crash helmet to pink in memory of John’s favourite colour.

“Every race is emotional. I see a lot of pictures of him and it’s a strange feeling,” said Jenson later that year. “I’m sure we all have that feeling when we lose someone. Formula 1 is what he loved more than anything in his life and that gives me the feeling that I want to carry on racing for longer and longer because that is the connection I really had with my dad.”

It was all change for 2014 as he had another new team-mate in rookie Kevin Magnussen, a new boss in racing director Eric Boullier and a whole new set of engine regulations to contend with. Out went the 2.4-litre V8s, to be replaced with hybrid 1.6-litre V6 turbos.

It was a dream start to the year as the McLaren team scored a podium at the first race in Australia. Kevin took third place and Jenson fourth – which became second and third after Daniel Ricciardo’s Red Bull was excluded.

Despite the strong start, sadly no team was able to get close to the dominant Mercedes team, and technical focus soon shifted to an all-new start in 2015. As the second oldest driver in the sport, the obvious questions about Button’s future were asked of him throughout the year, but he rebuffed the speculation: “It doesn’t matter, 2014 will be the same as any other year. If you do a good job, the team will want you for another year…”

And so it proved. In the final championship points table, Jenson finished eighth with 126 points, 71 more than his team-mate Kevin, who was 11^th. At the end of 2014, McLaren confirmed that he would be staying at Woking for his sixth year at the team – and the start of an exciting new partnership.

“Having been with this team for so many years and having been through some tough times last year and a few this year, I’m really looking forward to the future,” said Jenson.

2015 will reunite Jenson with Honda, the Japanese manufacturer with which he took his first Formula 1 win back in 2006. It’s a neat fit for the experienced campaigner and, in his year of sorrow, there was some joy when he married his long-term partner Jessica in the new year.

Heading into 2015, Jenson was massively motivated, super-fit, even-tempered, very fast and back with two old allies: Honda and his former Benetton team-mate Fernando Alonso. He just can’t wait to get back behind the wheel for his 15^th season in Formula 1…

In case you didn’t know it, Fernando Alonso hates losing. It goes back to his karting days when as a young boy he would cry if he didn’t win. His competitive spirit is fixated on victory. Anything else is considered a failure.

In his quest to emulate his hero Ayrton Senna and win three world championships, he joined Ferrari at the beginning of 2010. After a couple of years in less-competitive machinery, Fernando was desperate to return to the top step of the podium. And guess what? At the 2010 Bahrain Grand Prix he achieved what only five drivers have ever done on their Ferrari debut: he won.

Ferrari chose Fernando because they wanted a driver who could galvanise the team, leading it the way Michael Schumacher had done in the past. It helped that Fernando could speak fluent Italian, as from the outset the new partnership worked seamlessly.

“From day one I found myself at home with the team,” said Fernando. “There was a family feeling right from the start. When I went to Maranello, I saw the passion of the people that were working at Ferrari and it is something unique in Formula 1.”

The former president of Ferrari, Luca di Montezemolo, concurred with the sentiment on the eve of the new pairing, he said: “Fernando is an extremely talented driver, quick and good at working with a team, while being totally focused on winning. I think he is coming to Ferrari at the right time in is career.”

That Bahrain victory threw down the gauntlet: he passed his team-mate Felipe Massa around the outside of the first corner, instantly stamping his authority on the team, and then pressured Sebastian Vettel throughout the race until the German’s car broke down. The combination of Fernando and Ferrari was an ever-present force over the next four years of grand prix racing. But, as the seasons progressed, it was more apparent that the red cars’ pace perhaps owed more to Fernando’s brilliance than to the quality of machinery at his disposal.

The 2010 world title decider was a dramatic occasion held under the Abu Dhabi floodlights. Four drivers were in contention to scoop the crown and it was Alonso who looked most likely to win. But his chances were scuppered thanks to a strategic fumble that ruined his race. A distraught Fernando had lost the world championship by just four points to Vettel.

Despite the loss, at the beginning of 2011 the Spaniard signed a long-term agreement to remain at the Scuderia in a bid to avenge defeat and satisfy his personal quest for that third title. He was already starting to talk about potentially finishing his career in a red car.

“Stability is always good for a Formula 1 team,” said Alonso in 2011. “Ferrari have finished no lower than third in the championship virtually every year for a long time.”

Ferrari finished third again in 2011 as it happened, but it was a distant third… Alonso’s season was again characterised by hauling his Ferrari to places it shouldn’t have been and engaging in some fearsome overtaking.

One example was his blistering start at the 2011 Spanish Grand Prix. After starting his home race fourth on the grid, he was leading by the time the pack arrived at the first corner! The first quarter of that race Fernando led in a car that had no right being at the front of the field. By the race’s end, his Ferrari had been lapped.

If you wanted further confirmation of Fernando Alonso’s talents during 2011, then look no further than his results compared to his team-mate Felipe Massa. Alonso managed ten podium finishes that year, whereas Massa failed to land one. It was a similar story in 2012: Alonso took his Ferrari to another championship showdown with Sebastian Vettel, scoring three wins and 278 points. Massa, in the same car could only manage 122 points.

Despite losing the title in the final race of the year again – this time by just three points – his stock was continuing to rise, and he was commanding enormous respect from his peers. His great rival Lewis Hamilton beat Fernando at the 2011 Abu Dhabi GP and he was asked immediately afterwards whether his win was easy. “Not at all,” came his reply. “I’ve just had one of the best drivers in the world chasing me all afternoon and to beat him is actually quite a good feeling.”

As Fernando’s prowess grew, so did his popularity in Spain. His long-standing manager, Luis Garcia Abad, says the little Spaniard has been able to withstand the hype throughout his career.

“When Fernando goes out to restaurants there are always people around him, but that doesn’t seem to affect him. He’s still the same person I met in 1998, and as a driver nothing he does surprises me now. He takes responsibility for his team. If there is a problem with the car, he shares the blame. Also if there’s a victory, he shares that too.”

At the start of 2013, Fernando was able to take two wins from the opening five races, but once again Ferrari weren’t able to provide him with a car that was capable of regularly challenging the all-dominant Red Bulls. Frustration was mounting and, later in the year, Fernando was asked by Italian TV what he would like most for his birthday, he replied with: “La macchina degli altri,” – “Someone else’s car.”

If there was annoyance at the lack of pace, there was no shortage of motivation or commitment. He posted details of his training regime ahead of the 2014 season on Twitter. In two months he cycled 936km, ran 91km, spent eight hours swimming, seven hours in the gym and 14 hours either skiing or playing tennis or football.

As he prepared for 2014, he took to studying samurai philosophy to prepare himself for the fight ahead, but sadly the season was characterised by more disappointment. The dream of success with Ferrari hadn’t worked. Maranello went through three team bosses in 12 months and found itself in disarray. Alonso decided enough was enough.

“It’s tough because I want the third title so much,” he said in the summer of 2014. “I will be extremely proud if I just win two titles but I am hungry for more success. You know, I hate losing, so that’s enough to keep me motivated.”

Fernando Alonso wants to win. He wants a third title. That’s why he’s joined McLaren-Honda.