McLaren resolutely turned their back on the bad memories of Fernando Alonso's dramatic partnership with Lewis Hamilton as they confirmed yesterday that 2009 world champion Jenson Button will partner his fellow Briton in 2010.

BRIT OF ALRIGHT: McLaren have announced British duo Lewis Hamilton and Jensen Button as their team to challenge for the Formula One World Championship next season

The pairing marks the first time in Formula 1 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.

And the team made it clear that they chose Button, who turns 30 in January, because he fits the bill as a fast, experienced and talented driver who can help them to win the world championship for constructors, not because he came cheap as negotiations with the newly Mercedes-badged Brawn team floundered.

Team principal Martin Whitmarsh said that the move was in keeping with McLaren's philosophy of employing the two best possible drivers, and Button was chosen in preference to 2007 champion Kimi Raikkonen, and Mercedes protégé Nick Heidfeld who drove for BW Sauber this season.

Running two stars has historically proved painful for thro king-based team.

The enmity between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost in 1988 and '89 created one of the greatest sporting rivalries of all time and resulted in Prost moving to Ferrari in 1990.

Alonso's partnership with Hamilton in 2007 arguably cost each of them their chance of the title that year, and created so much acrimony that none of the parties like to speak of it to this day.

Nevertheless, Whitmarsh is adamant that the situation can be suitably managed.

“I'm confident that we'll be able successfully to balance and harness Jenson's and Lewis's complementary skill-sets,” he said diplomatically.

Hamilton said he thought it was “fantastic” that Button would be joining the team, reiterating remarks he made when the idea was first mooted in October.

Within the team, however, there are concerns how Button and his camp will fit in with Hamilton and his, led by his father Anthony who likes to take a much more active role in team operations than Button's father John ever has during his son's lengthy career.

Though both drivers will have equal equipment and status, Hamilton will want to make sure that he remains to de facto leader even if Button will be the man with number one on his car.

Button has already made a good impression on the team during recent visits, by demonstrating far more interest in the engineering side of his new venture than his financial remuneration, which is thought to be around half the £15m Hamilton will be paid in 2010.

And McLaren's engineers have been impressed by their careful analysis of his qualifying and race data from 2009, which is far more important to their racing psyche than any marketing impact the 'Dream Team' will create.

“It's always a difficult decision to leave a team when you've been there for so long,” said Button, who took what was effectively an 80 per cent pay cut, down to £3.5m, to drive for Brawn this season.

“But life is all about challenges — and, most important of all, it's about challenging yourself.

“So, although I won the world championship with Brawn GP, and I'll never forget that, I was always adamant that I wanted to continue to set myself fresh challenges.

“You can't help but be affected by this team's phenomenal history. McLaren are one of the greats of world sport, and their achievements and list of past champions read like a Who's Who of Formula 1 — Emerson Fittipaldi, James Hunt, Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Mika Hakkinen and of course my new team-mate, Lewis Hamilton.

“I've followed the McLaren team ever since I was a small boy, and it feels unbelievable finally to be a part of it.

“When I visited the McLaren Technology Centre earlier this month, it wasn't simply the technical resources and the incredible standards of excellence that impressed me.

“I was equally struck by the ambition, the motivation and the winning spirit that flow through everybody there. And then there's the team's epic history: put it this way, the trophy cabinets seem to stretch for miles.

“From a personal point of view, it's also a great pleasure to be joining a fellow British world champion.

“I'm sure there's plenty that Lewis 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.”

Button's defection to McLaren came as a surprise to Mercedes Grand Prix (nee Brawn), whose team principal Ross Brawn only recently dismissed speculation that his driver was about to leave.

They are said finally to have offered similar money to McLaren, but Button's recent visits to the latter helped to swing his decision to leave even though some believe that Hamilton will prove his nemesis.

Mercedes have already signed German Nico Rosberg, whose place at Williams was taken by Button's 2009 team-mate Rubens Barrichello.

But now, after prevaricating too long, they find themselves faced with the likelihood of running Heidfeld alongside Rosberg. Both are perceived as quick drivers, but not quite from the top drawer.

Neither has yet won a race, despite 239 race starts between them, and Mercedes may yet come to regret the global publicity opportunities they will forego after losing their champion.

Raikkonen, meanwhile, having priced himself out of the current market, is set for a sabbatical while he sees how things shake down economically for 2011.