Button: 'It's been a great ride to 300!'

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This weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix will represent an important landmark in Jenson Button's career as the British contemplates his 300th Grand Prix start.

Button life in Formula 1 started as a twenty-year-old with Williams in 2000. With 15 wins and a world championship under his belt, and as he prepares for perhaps his final sting at the pinnacle of motorsport, the McLaren driver was asked how he considers his place in the history books.

"That’s a good question that deserves a very long answer and I’m not going to give it to you here," Button said in Thursday's press conference at Sepang.

" It means I’ve been around for a hell of a long time… I remember when Rubens got to 300 and it was unbelievable that he got to 300, I thought ‘I’m never going to race that long’.

"I remember when I started in 2000, I remember speaking to my dad and he was saying ‘how long do you think you’re going to race for, will you still be racing in your thirties?’.

"And I was like ‘no, I’ll be done by the time I’m 30 years old!’ And here I am at 36 and this weekend at the start of my 300^th grand prix."

Button reflected on life in the fast lane, and the importance of accepting the bad along with the good.

"It definitely sucks you in, Formula 1, it doesn’t let go, as long as you’re performing. It’s been a great ride to 300, lots of ups and downs, as every career will have.

"The important thing is that you stay on top of those bad times as much as you can, because you never know how long they’re going to last.

"So a very exciting career to this point, 300 races, and if any of these guys around me can achieve the same thing, fair play to them because it’s a long time doing the same thing!"

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.