Jenson Button MBE, the recently retired Formula 1 driver, now has an honorary degree in engineering to add to his list of achievements.
The 36-year-old driver from Frome, in Somerset, retired from racing after November’s conclusion to the F1 season.
Frome's @JensonButton:@F1 World Champion ✔️
15 F1 Race Wins ✔️
305 F1 Races ✔️
Doctor of Engineering from the @UniofBath ✔️ pic.twitter.com/dk1T9m4SmR— BBC Somerset (@bbcsomerset) December 7, 2016
Addressing an audience at the University of Bath, he said: “I didn’t go to university and work hard in my early years, but I would say that a lot of my achievements in motorsport are down to my engineering understanding of a racing car.”
Dr Geraint Owen, who introduced Jenson, said: “Formula One drivers are some of the most highly conditioned athletes on earth, their bodies specifically adapted to the very exacting requirements of top-flight single-seater motor racing.
“In a hot, cramped cockpit, loads on the body regularly exceed a sustained 4.5 G. While subjected to this loading, the driver is required to retain total concentration and lightning-fast reactions throughout the two-hour race.”
“Away from the paddock, Jenson is a keen triathlete and is also involved in charitable work through the creation of The Jenson Button Trust.A gentleman on and off the track, he is liked and admired through the motor racing world; Jenson is a perfect role model for any up and coming sportsman,” added Dr Owen.