Jenson Button secured his first drivers’ world champion with his drive of the season at Interlagos this afternoon, finishing a hugely deserving fifth to put the title beyond the reach of his nearest rivals. A number of first-lap crashes promoted Button to ninth on the first lap, and from there a catalogue of daring overtaking manoeuvres ensured he would take the crown, even before closest rival Rubens Barrichello dropped down the field with a puncture.

Out in front, Mark Webber won the race comfortably from BMW Sauber’s Robert Kubica, while McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton took an unlikely third after overtaking Barrichello ten laps from the end. Barrichello, after looking on-course for a deserved win in the opening stint, got caught in traffic after his first pitstop, and faded to a probable third place before losing the place to Hamilton, with a seemingly harmless tap with the Briton causing a left-rear puncture, dropping him to eighth and putting his world championship charge to bed for another year.

Fourth place went to an equally impressive Sebastian Vettel who worked his long first stint to perfection and claim five points, but like Barrichello it wasn’t enough to keep him in the championship hunt. Button eventually finished fifth thanks to Barrichello’s late pitstop, but even sixth place would have been enough for the championship with Barrichello finishing only third. Kimi Räikkönen kept Ferrari fighting for third in the constructors’ championship with sixth place, while Sébastien Buemi took seventh to return Toro Rosso to the top eight.

Button and Barrichello’s points-scoring finishes also secured Brawn GP the constructors’ championship, capping a perfect season of racing for the Brackley-based team, ten months after Honda’s infamous pull-out from the sport. Should Jenson Button stay on at the team for 2010, they will be the proud owners of the number 1 on their car.

Here are the full results;