JENSON Button will be going all out to extend his Formula One World Championship lead in Spain this weekend – his life depending on race harnesses crafted in Hampshire.

For his Brawn GP team has just confirmed that it has agreed a new partnership with Willans, the world’s leading brand of racing harnesses, which becomes a team supplier for the 2009 Formula One season.

Manufactured by Stockbridge Racing in the High Street of the village near Winchester with loyal staff including at least one from Southampton, Willans harnesses have been used as essential safety equipment for all forms of motorsport since 1967. From Formula One to Nascar and IRL to rallying, the company has supplied top motorsport teams around the world and to date supported 19 Formula One World Champions and achieved 252 Grands Prix victories, including Button’s triple this season.

Ross Brawn, team principal of Brawn GP said: “We are extremely pleased to have reached an agreement with Willans to use their racing harnesses in the Brawn- Mercedes cars this season. Driver safety is absolutely paramount in Formula One and the sport is continually taking steps to improve our safety record. We are very proud to be working closely with one of the most successful and dedicated harness manufacturers in motorsport.”

Simon Perkins, managing director of Stockbridge Racing for the past two years, is also delighted.

He said: “While our harness is already the lightest of its specification in Formula One, we look forward to working closely with the team in our continual quest for lighter and safer driver equipment. We would like to thank Brawn GP and Jenson Button for helping us to achieve the milestone of 250 Grands Prix victories using Willans harnesses, as reported in the Daily Echo.

“They evaluated all the products on the market and were impressed by the quality and light weight.”

Willans previously supplied the team when it was British American Racing (BAR) but while under Honda it brought in a Japanese supplier Simon kept his foot in the door to return this season.

He won’t be in Spain as Button bids for his and Brawn’s fourth win of the season – Simon will be racing a March 712 F2 car in the Derek Bell Trophy historic race at Silverstone.