Why Lewis Hamilton was left ‘peeved’ when Jenson Button arrived at McLaren as his F1 teammate

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Lewis Hamilton is preparing for his first season as a Ferrari driver and just the second team change he’s made during his iconic Formula 1 career.

After 12 seasons and 14 championships, Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton have parted ways, but it wasn’t where the 40-year-old first tasted success in F1.

Hamilton was supported by Ron Dennis throughout his junior career which led to him making his Formula 1 debut with McLaren back in 2007.

Hamilton clashed with Fernando Alonso during his debut F1 season and the pair ultimately cost each other the championship with Kimi Raikkonen nicking the title at the final Grand Prix of the year.

Alonso was replaced by Heikki Kovalainen but after two years the Finn was deemed surplus to required.

This opened up a spot in the team for 2009 world champion Jenson Button, who decided to leave Brawn GP – who became the Mercedes team that are still on the grid today – to race alongside Hamilton at McLaren.

Hamilton was used to having things his own way at the Woking-based team, but as Button wrote in his book Life To The Limit, Hamilton was entirely happy with his arrival.

Lewis Hamilton a ‘little bit peeved’ by Jenson Button at McLaren

Button was talking about his first season alongside the future seven-time world champion at McLaren and wrote in Chapter 56 of his book: “Did he like being beaten by his teammate? Probably not.

“But he’s a competitor and I’m sure like me he relishes the challenge, it’s why we do what we do.

“Personally, he was fine with me, no issues at all at this stage of the game.

“But you could just tell that he was a little bit peeved. That thing about it being his team, it was right on the money.

“And if you ask me, he was finding it difficult to get a handle on the fact it was our team now.

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“The thing was that I came with baggage in the form of my mates, Richard [] and my dad, all of whom often tended to dominate any room they entered.

“My dad, for example, used to collar my engineer, Dave Robson, ‘You’re doing a great job, David, doing a great job, look after my son, you’re doing a great job, so don’t f— it up!’”

Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton’s most iconic battle as McLaren teammates

Button suggested later in the chapter that McLaren were joining the likes of Red Bull and Ferrari in creating more of an atmosphere in the paddock.

However, when recalling this, he said: “Like I say, I’m not sure that was to Lewis’ taste. I don’t think that I was to his taste, to be honest.”

The 2009 world champion then described how things got even worse after that season’s Turkish Grand Prix where Red Bull made the headlines when Vettel and Webber collided, but Button and Hamilton also came to blows.

Button attempted to overtake Hamilton despite both drivers being told to conserve fuel and despite team orders not being given to stop Button passing, that wasn’t the impression Hamilton got from the radio messages he received.

READ MORE: Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton’s life outside F1 from net worth to family

The pair spent three seasons together between 2010 and 2012 before Hamilton’s move to replace Michael Schumacher at Mercedes.

McLaren finished second in the Constructors’ Championship twice during that period, with Hamilton coming out on top in 2010 and 2012, but Button only finishing runner-up to Sebastian Vettel in 2011.

Hamilton ultimately made the right call moving on, enjoying unparalleled success while Button and McLaren struggled on.
Button knew he had to retire from F1 in 2016, but that didn’t stop him from making one last appearance the following year in Monaco to replace Alonso and pick up a penalty he still hasn’t served to this day.