After Dinner Speakers: Jenson Button, Gareth Edwards, Naomi Langford-Wood

Jenson Button’s career to date has been one of remarkable success for one so young. From his first kart race through to January 24th 2000 when he became Britain’s youngest ever Formula One Grand Prix driver, Jenson has created excitement across the motor-racing industry. As a youngster Jenson took the karting fraternity by storm, setting records in the history of karting that have yet to be broken. Jenson then made his move to cars in 1998 and confounded everyone by winning in his first year both the internationally contested British Formula Ford Championship and the famous Formula Ford World Cup. His incredible debut season in racing cars was finally crowned when he won the coveted McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award and a very handy Ł50,000 to put towards his motor racing career. Jenson soon attracted the attention of Renault and was offered a sponsored ride in the Promateck Renault Formula Three team for 1999. After clocking up three victories, seven podiums, four fastest laps and three pole positions, Jenson claimed third place in the championship and the title of Avon Rookie of the Year. Since the end of the Formula Three 1999 season Jenson’s career has moved in leaps and bounds, progressing quickly from F3000 tests to Formula One tests to driving for the BMW Williams F1 Team, then to Benetton as Britain’s youngest ever Grand Prix driver. Jenson Button is the most exciting thing to happen to British motor racing in recent years and is in constant demand for personal appearances.