A fitting end in Bahrain
On Saturday, Jenson Button will drive his last professional race: the Bahrain 8 Hours in the World Endurance Championship. This marks the end of one of the most remarkable careers in modern motorsport. Button is 45 and will retire from the professional circuit after this race.
What he achieved in Formula 1
Button was active in Formula 1 between 2000 and 2017. He started 306 grands prix. He took 15 wins and 50 podiums. He achieved eight poles. In 2009, he captured the world championship with Brawn GP, a season that is still considered a great underdog story. His last full F1 season was 2016. His last start in the king class was in Monaco 2017 as Fernando Alonso's replacement.
The search after F1
Button did not stop racing when Formula 1's door closed. He sought new challenges and soon found them in Japan. In 2018, he temporarily moved east and raced in Super GT. Together with Naoki Yamamoto, he immediately won the championship with Team Kunimitsu and the Honda NSX-GT500. In doing so, he became the first former F1 world champion to win Super GT.
The constant travelling between Japan and Europe eventually became too much. He ended that adventure at the end of 2019. After that, he tried many different disciplines. For instance, he competed in Baja events, made a guest appearance in British GT, started in Extreme E and Nitro Rallycross, and made three starts in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2023. This broad exploration shows his curiosity and adaptability.
How he came to endurance
Slowly, Button found his way into endurance racing. His first serious experience was in 2018 in LMP1 with SMP Racing. With teammates, he achieved a podium in Shanghai. Later, he drove the Garage 56 project car at Le Mans: a NASCAR Camaro ZL1 at Hendrick Motorsports, shared with Mike Rockenfeller and Jimmie Johnson. Those appearances were instructive, but not enough. Button wanted to drive a full programme.
In 2024, he got that chance. After finishing fifth at Petit Le Mans and third in the Daytona 24 Hours, he stepped in as a full-time WEC driver with Team Jota.
Team Jota: the final challenge
Team Jota is a British team with a personal link for Button. The #38 Porsche 963 started in 2024 as a customer team and had limited testing opportunities. Button shared the car with Oliver Rasmussen and Phil Hanson. At first, the transition was tough. He missed the intensity of a full season and had to get used to the off-track work: data analysis, debriefs and set-up work.
Gradually, he found his rhythm. His smooth driving style suited the endurance cars well. Two standout performances were at Le Mans and at Fuji, even if those races did not yield podium results. Things changed in 2025 when Jota was given factory team status with Cadillac and the V-Series.R. With teammates Sébastien Bourdais and Earl Bamber, Button showed strong performances, including a second-place finish in São Paulo.
His role went beyond just driving. Button brought experience, technical feedback and calm to the team dynamic. That contributed to two wins for Jota in the past two seasons and to the title fight still open in Bahrain.
What Button does after this season
The reason for quitting is clear: family and time. Button lives with young children. He wants to spend less time travelling for weeks at a time. He does not think it is fair to promise a new year if he cannot spare enough time. He does remain active at classic events, such as Goodwood, purely for the love of the sport. But his professional racing career is over.
Who can replace him?
Finding a successor is not easy. The Hypercar class is full of factory drivers. Names that have passed include Mick Schumacher and Callum Ilott, but those options fell off for various reasons or are unclear. The favourite for the #38 seems to be Jack Aitken. He already drives the V-Series.R in IMSA and has a strong relationship with Earl Bamber. Aitken won the last two rounds of the 2025 IMSA season, including Petit Le Mans, and set a fastest time in Hyperpole at Le Mans.
There is a practical problem though: on 19-20 April 2026, Long Beach (IMSA) and Imola (WEC) are scheduled at the same time. Aitken would prioritise Long Beach. If he drives in the United States, a replacement for Imola is in the offing, with Fred Vesti a possible candidate.
Key facts at a glance
- F1 figures: 306 starts, 15 wins, 50 podiums, 2009 world champion.
- Super GT champion in 2018 with Team Kunimitsu.
- Endurance achievements: podiums in WEC and Daytona, Garage 56 at Le Mans.
- Last team: Jota, from 2024, from 2025 as Cadillac work team.
- Reason for stopping: more time for family and less travelling.
Final conclusion: Button is leaving professional racing on his own terms. He is going not because he has to, but because he wants to. His legacy is multi-faceted: a Formula One title, success in Japan, and valuable contributions to endurance racing. An emotional farewell awaits in Bahrain, but his influence on the sport remains visible.
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