On Saturday, Jenson Button will bring down the curtain on his stellar racing career when he for the races for the last time in the 8 Hours of Bahrain for Jotasport Cadillac. In his three-decade long career, Button went from a relative unknown who earned his Formula 1 debut through a shootout test with Williams in 2000 to becoming world champion with the Cinderella Brawn team in 2009.

But along the way, Button went through his fair share of trials and tribulations, where he very nearly slipped out of the sport. However, throughout these challenges, Button remained a gentleman, ensuring the respect of not only the fans but also his rivals.

To commemorate Button’s final weekend as a professional racing driver, autoevolution takes a look at the six F1 cars which defined Button’s career.

2000 Williams FW22

It was a surprise to see a 20-year-old Button alongside Ralf Schumacher at Williams for 2000, but pretty quickly, the 20-year-old justified Frank Williams’ gamble. With the BMW engine quickly showing its prowess in its maiden season, Button didn’t have to wait long to get into the points as he was classified sixth in Brazil after David Coulthard was disqualified.

Button then finished in the points on merit with fifth at Silverstone and the A1-Ring before coming home fourth at Hockenheim. Button then managed to out-qualify Michael Schumacher at Spa, putting his Williams third on the grid. Although an opening-lap incident meant he couldn’t convert it into a podium, another fifth place followed after a solid comeback drive.

Despite losing his Williams seat to Juan Pablo Montoya for 2001, another fifth place at Suzuka ensured Button had plenty of offers after an impressive rookie year.

2003 BAR 005

The following two seasons at Benetton/Renault were bruising for Button, but 2003 marked a fresh start as he joined BAR alongside 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve. Although the team was built around Villeneuve, Button quickly showed up his teammate, finishing seventh in Malaysia and eighth in Imola, before matching his best career result with fourth in Austria.

An enormous 180mph practice crash in Monaco, which forced him to sit out of the race, was a setback, but when the car allowed him to compete, Button demonstrated he hadn’t lost any of his speed. Button took four more points finishes before ending the season with another fourth at Suzuka. With Villeneuve departing at the end of the year, BAR was now Button’s team ahead of what promised to be an interesting 2004.

2004 BAR 006

While Schumacher and Ferrari dominated in 2004, Button and BAR mounted a credible challenge to the German and headed the chasing pack. Button finally secured his first F1 podium with third place in Malaysia, which he then followed up with another top three in the inaugural Bahrain GP. But then came Imola, where Button stunned the Tifosi to take pole position before eventually finishing second to Schumacher.

Button had another chance of taking his maiden victory in Monaco, but despite closing in the final laps, he couldn’t find a way past Jarno Trulli and had to settle for second. Two more second places in France and China, as well as four third places, secured Button third in the Drivers standings and BAR runners-up honours in the Constructors Championship.

2006 Honda RA106

The promise of 2004 didn’t translate into 2005 as Button and BAR found themselves mired in controversy after being banned for two races for running an underweight car. It made 2006 a season of redemption, but despite taking third in Malaysia, the start to the year was unlucky, as a podium in Australia was lost due to an engine failure, while a botched pit stop left him seventh at Imola.

An engine failure in Budapest left him with a 10-place grid drop and looked to have prolonged his bad luck streak. But on race day, it all came together as a safety car on lap 25 allowed him to make his pitstop, jumping him to second. Once clear of Fernando Alonso, he dominated to win on his 113th start. After Budapest, Button finished the year strongly, taking five top-five finishes, including a third in Brazil.

2009 Brawn BGP001

Honda’s promise didn’t last, and when they pulled out of F1 in the winter of 2008, Button’s career after two miserable seasons was at the crossroads. However, Honda’s technical director, Ross Brawn, didn’t give up, as he and Nick Fry bought the team for £1 and got the wounded team on the grid for the season opener in Australia. 

What happened next was a fairytale, as Button won six of the first seven races, giving him an early lead in the championship. Red Bull’s resurgence, as well as Brawn teammate Rubens Barrichello’s renaissance, nearly kyboshed his championship dream, and a poor qualifying in Brazil, leaving him 14th, saw the dream almost turn into a nightmare.

But Button held his nerve and clawed his way back up to fifth, securing his maiden world title with Brawn also wrapping up their first and only Constructors’ title.

2011 McLaren MP4-26

From Brawn, Button moved to McLaren for 2010, forming an all-British super team with 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton. While he didn’t have the luck to challenge for a second consecutive title, the 2011 MP4-26, featuring its unique ‘L-shaped’ sidepods, was a slight improvement over the MP4-25.

Three podiums at the start of the year were a good start, but then came Button’s greatest victory in Canada. There, he clawed his way back from last, a time penalty and a collision with Hamilton to pass Sebastian Vettel for victory on the last lap.

Another win in Hungary kept Button in the running before Vettel pulled away in the second half of the year, eventually claiming his second world title in Japan in a race won by the Brit. Three podiums in the last four races secured runner-up honours for Button, his best championship result in his six seasons at McLaren.