MUSCAT — Former world champion and McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton welcomed the new champion of Formula One Jensen Button to his team but rubbished claims made by the media that he would be a competitor to his partner at Woking.

In an exclusive interview with Times Sport yesterday, Hamilton fully backed Button’s sudden move to McLaren calling it as the “sign for the best”.

Button last week signed a $10.09 million a year deal after he pulled out from Brawn GP with whom he won the elusive title this season. His defection to the new team was fully supported by his previous boss Ross Brawn who sold 75 per cent of his stake to Mercedes.

“I want to make it very clear, we are not going to race against each other. We are going to race for McLaren and that is more important than anything else.

“It’s fantastic to have Jensen in our side. We come from the same country and are going to race for the same team so that is a sign for the best,” Hamilton said. The pairing marks the first time in Formula One history that a team have started the new season with world champions from two successive years in their line-up, and the first pairing of two British titleholders since Graham Hill joined Jim Clark at Lotus for 1968.

Although the ‘Dream Team’ tag would lure motor sport fans and advertisers alike, it could pose a serious headache to McLaren, as running two stars has historically proved painful for the most popular team in automotive world but Hamilton is defensive when he said to be smitten by the winning spirit of the fellow British.

“I am struck by the ambition, the motivation and the winning spirit that flow through the veins of Button. From a personal point of view, it’s also a great pleasure to be joining a fellow British world champion,” Hamilton noted.

Heavy weight

Asked if the weight of the world title on Button’s back would put him under any pressure, Hamilton advised his compatriot not to get carried away and instead start the new season fresh. “Of course it will take some time to sink in that you are the world champion because such titles does not come so often. The best advice I can give him is to cool off his head and come back fresh for the new season.

“Life is all about challenges and the most important of all, it’s about challenging yourself,” he said. Hamilton also noted that the combined experience of the two drivers could push the team forward.

“I’m sure there’s plenty that Button and I can learn from each other, and I’m really looking forward to using our combined knowledge to push the team forward. I know that we both fly the flag with pride,” Hamilton added.