Jenson Button to retire from professional racing
The 2009 Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button will bring his professional racing career to a close at next weekend’s World Endurance Championship season finale in Bahrain, reports BritPanorama.
The 45-year-old British driver confirmed his retirement decision whilst speaking to BBC Radio Somerset. “This will be my last race. I’ve always liked Bahrain; I think it’s a fun track, and I’m going to enjoy it as much as I can because this will be the end of my professional racing career,” Button stated.
Button has been with Team Jota in the WEC for the past two seasons after departing from Formula 1 in 2017. He expressed that the decision to step away centres on prioritising family life with his wife Brittny Ward and their two young children. “I’ve really enjoyed my time with Jota in WEC, but my life has got way too busy and it’s not fair on the team or on myself to go into 2026 and think that I’m going to have enough time for it,” he explained.
The demands of racing have taken their toll on family time, prompting Button to acknowledge significant sacrifices. “My kids are four and six, and you’re away for a week and you miss so much — you don’t get this time back. I feel like I’ve missed a lot the last couple of years, which has been fine because I knew that would happen, but I’m not willing to do that again for another season,” Button added.
While Button’s professional racing days are ending, he intends to remain active behind the wheel with his collection of classic cars. “I’ve got classic cars I love to race, and for me that’s exciting because it’s mine — a car that I own — and I love the mechanical aspect,” he noted, expressing enthusiasm for the hands-on nature of vintage motorsport.
Button’s illustrious racing career launched in 2000 with Williams, making him the youngest British driver in the team’s history. His breakthrough came with BAR Honda in 2003, culminating in his maiden victory at the rain-soaked 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix. The pinnacle of his career was in 2009 when he won the world championship with Brawn GP, securing six wins in the first seven races.
During his tenure with McLaren from 2010 to 2016, Button claimed eight victories and notably outscored teammate Lewis Hamilton across their three seasons together. Beyond Formula 1, he captured the 2018 Super GT title in Japan and currently serves as a Sky Sports F1 pundit.
As he prepares for a racing world without him at the elite level, Button’s move signifies a poignant end to an era, reminding fans not just of his achievements, but of the fine line between the thrills of sport and the demands of family life. A true racing legend departs, but the echoes of his speed will linger long after he leaves the track.
