Recently crowned 2009 Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button made a final farewell visit to Brawn GP's Brackley-based race headquarters this week, prompting "sadness and anger" from the team and its employees, reported the United Kingdom’s Daily Telegraph.

With the very recent announcement of his exodus from the team to join the McLaren outfit for the 2010 globetrotting F1 world tour, the speed of the new team is demonstrated by the fact that Button's “My Championship Year” book features a foreword by team principal Ross Brawn. In the forward, Brawn, who brought Button’s career back to life with the brilliant BGP-001, waxes ecstatic about Button’s "loyalty".

While in London to promote the book, however, Button said he now just hopes to remain friends with Ross Brawn.

Button told BBC's Five Live radio that he left the Brawn GP organization to become 2008 World Champion Lewis Hamilton's new teammate for the challenge.

"I am actually earning less than I would have been at Brawn so it's not about the money. It's because it's something new," said the Briton, who, reportedly will make 50% of what Hamilton does.

He explained to Reuters Television that after winning the championship, "I thought 'so, what happens now? Where do I go from here?'

"I've been very comfortable within that (Brawn) team and it (moving to McLaren) is taking me outside of my comfort zone. That's why I am doing it.

"I'm not going because it's going to be easy, I'm going because it's going to be tough," added Button.

Eric Johnson