Champ Button can switch off at last

Jenson Button can finally relax after watching the sun set on Formula One's first day-night race - and a season to remember for him.

The new world champion finished the inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on a relative high, not with the win he wanted but at least on the podium behind Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber.

"It was a fun race," said Button, on the podium for only the second time in the last 10 races - after starting the season with six wins from seven grands prix. "I'm disappointed not to get second. But I enjoyed the fight, and the race was a bonus - after winning the championship in Brazil."

He added: "I have really enjoyed driving this weekend a car that has been very competitive, so I need to thank everyone at Brawn and Mercedes Benz for all their hard work.

"After Brazil, it would have been easy to say 'right, let's just enjoy ourselves and not concentrate on Abu Dhabi'.

"But we did and we have come away with a podium at the last race of the year, a year that's been exceptional.

"I'm very happy with what's happened this season and the way the team has performed.

"Probably when it's been toughest, I respect the team for the effort they've put in then - so they should all be very proud of themselves.

"At the moment I'm just going to enjoy this. This is big, so I'm not going to concentrate on next year.

"I'm going to relax and enjoy this moment."