St Lawrence: Jenson in pole position to follow namesake's tracks (From Maldon and Burnham Standard)

St Lawrence: Jenson in pole position to follow namesake's tracks

2:00pm Sunday 21st October 2012 in Local News

A motorsport fanatic whose son was named after Formula One star Jenson Button is hoping the five-year-old could follow in his namesake’s footsteps.

Alan Weston, of Main Road, St Lawrence, spent more than a decade running a kart racing team in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Among his young drivers was nephew Marc Bell, now 32, who regularly lined up against Button in competitions across the country.

Mr Weston, who now collects classic cars, said he still regularly sees Button at the Malaysian Grand Prix and was even there when he secured his first podium in 2004, finishing third.

Next year, he hopes to introduce his five-year-old son Jenson to the McLaren driver for the first time.

He described the decision to name him after the former world champion as a “no-brainer” for him and wife Saichol.

He added: “I’ve always admired Jenson Button ever since he was a boy, and his dad John - he’s a great bloke.”

SEE THE STANDARD FOR THE FULL STORY