Jenson Button

At 44 years old, Jenson Button has this physical status:

Karting career

For his seventh birthday, Button's father got a 50cc bike; he discarded it after half an hour because it was slow, which would have obliged his father to delete its restrictor, and he disliked his father's plan to advance to the 80cc category. At an Earl's Court racing car show about his son, John spoke to rallycross racer and Rippspeed car accessories owner Keith Ripp; Kipp suggested the purchase of a Zip go-kart suitable for the young boy's newly formed Cadets class. Button was a Christmas presenter in 1987 and he began karting at the Clay Pigeon Raceway in May 1988, aged eight, after repeated club members told him when Button would begin racing.

He was required to drive on slick tyres on a wet track because his father wanted him to learn auto control on a sodden surface and taught him basic driving skills by standing at a corner and pointing to where his son should halt. Button won the British Super Prix in 1989, aged nineteen. Midway through the year, his father told him about his progress to the club level because some people suspected him of being competitive, which Button was interested in. He won all 34 races of the 1991 British Cadet Kart Championship and the overall championship with team Wright karts. Button told his father that he wanted to participate in F1 and that he was given a chart to track his progress in karting. Both agreed to give each other more autonomy, and mechanic Dave Spencer led Button to be mentored by mechanic Dave Spencer as they transitioned from Cadets to Juniors class. Spencer begged him to be more aggressive and less smooth driving junior karts because they have more power than a Cadet kart. In addition, Button was required to maintain control of his tyres.

Three more victories followed, including three British Open Kart Championship wins. After dismissing the suggestion of two months away from karting, Button doubted his potential to win races, and he told his father he wanted to keep racing. Spencer's family pleaded for support; he and Button's father supervised the young boy's karts and compelled him to rethink his fitness regime and avoid unhealthy beverages; Button's father influenced the school head teacher to avoid unhealthy beverages. Spencer helped him to investigate and concentrate on how others governed their karts, as well as Button's youngest son Danny, who died in a multi-kart accident at Hunts Kart Racing Club in Kimbolton, Cambridgeshire, in December 1994.

After losing the opportunity to regain the title after a string of accidents, Button placed fourth in the 1994 RAC British Junior Championship. He competed in the Junior Intercontinental A European Winter Championships that year and represented as a professional in the Junior Intercontinental A European Winter Championship. At the age of 15, he was the youngest runner-up of the Formula A World Championship. Button was contracted to drive Tecno-Rotax karts for Team GKS in 1996, third in the Formula A World Cup and third in the American Championship. His team took him to the top of karting Formula Super A in 1997. Button finished second in the 1997 Japanese World Cup, becoming the youngest driver and first Briton to win the European Super A Championship. He was also runner-up in the Winter Cup before the European Super A Championship was held.

Junior car career

After his mentor Paul Lemmens warned racing boss and former driver Harald Huysman about his age, Button turned to single seater racing. He was signed to businessman David Robertson and Huysman's managerial team, who then found him sponsorship to continue driving. Robertson wanted to try a Carlin Motorsport Dallara F3 Mugen-Honda car at the Pembrey Circuit, but they were soon accclimatized with a more responsive vehicle and more downforce. Both Huysman and Robertson wanted Button to participate in Formula Three (F3), but Button said he was unable to do so due to his inexperience in car racing and feared being uncompetitive right away. Button has since moved to Formula Ford for the 1998 season. He won the season-ending Formula Ford Festival in Brands Hatch in a Haywood Racing Mygale SJ98 car. With one win out of four races, Button came in second place in the European Formula Ford Championship, a runner-up.

Button received the annual Autosport BRDC Award in 1998, which included a field test in a McLaren MP4/14 F1 vehicle that he earned in November 1999. Huysman and Robertson applied for a seat in Formula 3 and met with Promatecme team principal Serge Saulnier, who did not want to sign Button because he was not a member of Renault's driver academy. At the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours in France, further lobbying from Mygale and Lemmens persuaded Sauliner to perform a test. He impressed Saulnier and accepted his invitation to drive at Proscme. Salunier accompanied Button on the death of F3 cars and how to care for it.

In 1999, Button rode in the British Formula 3 International Series in a marginally underpowered Renault-Dallara F399 car compared to Mugen-Honda's Mugen-Honda, underpinned by trainer Josef Leberer. He won three times, including at Thruxton, Pembrey, and Silverstone, finishing as the best rookie driver and third overall. In the Marlboro Masters and Macau Grand Prix, he came in fifth and second respectively, losing by 0.035 seconds to Darren Manning in Macau. In the playoffs, Button was expected to make a decision on his future. He did not want another year in F3 and twice tried a higher-tier Formula 3000 (F3000) car with both the Super Nova Racing and Fortec Motorsport teams at the Jerez circuit in Spain, which he feared because the cars were heavy due to the cars' sequential gearboxed him to accelerate.

Formula One career

In November 1999, Button won his McLaren test strip at the Silverstone club circuit, impressing team owner Ron Dennis. After Button's talent and asked him to test, he also tested for the Prost team in Catalunya. Prost gave Button a ride in his F3000 squad before starting as his test driver for one season to train for competitive driving. He did not commit because Prost was not able to keep the promise of a F1 seat. Dennis Button and Robertson declined Dennis' invitation for him to join the McLaren team and gain a seat from Jaguar chairman Jackie Stewart.

Following the departure of two-time CART champion Alessandro Zanardi, a vacant race seat was open at the Williams team. Jörg Müller, a sports car racer, and Darren Manning, the Japanese Formula Three champion, were among the other candidates for the position. Frank Williams, the team's founder and principal, called Button on December 24, 1999, first believing it was a joke, and asked if he was excited to drive in F1 to which he said no. Button's father begged Williams to inform Williams that he was indeed present. In a Williams FW21B car modified by adding an BMW engine, Button talked with Williams and BMW motorsport director Gerhard Berger, and a'shoot-out' test was conducted between Button and F3000 racer and test driver Bruno Junqueira at Jerez. Despite the fact that the majority of the team's engineers preferred Junqueira, Button securing the drive. He became the youngest F1 racer in the United Kingdom, smashing the previous record held by Stirling Moss. Button did not have a FIA Super Licence, and FIA President Max Mosley required him to complete 300 km (190 mi) in two days of testing and assistance from 18 of the F1 Commission's 26 members. Despite this, the FIA decided to issue him with a super licence. Button worked with a physiotherapist to help him with his endurance to drive a Formula One.

The youngest driver to score a point in the season's second race in Brazil earned him his sixth-place finish. He finished in his first six races better than his coworker Ralf Schumacher twice, and he was always close to the pace. However, Williams was only meant to use Button until they had the opportunity to buy the highly rated Juan Pablo Montoya out of their contract with Chip Ganassi Racing. Montoya was announced as his replacement midway through the season after a drop in Button's form, as well as Montoya's win in the 2000 Indianapolis 500. Williams did not sell Button's contract, but kept the right to recall him in 2003. On a two-year loan, he went to Benetton Formula.

Button's best qualification of the season came in third place in the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, and his highest result in the German Grand Prix was fourth. He made a few mistakes during the season, the most notable being in Monza's Italian Grand Prix. Button swerved to avoid the pack, which had gathered up, and crashed into a wall under safe vehicle conditions. With 12 points, Button concluded his debut season in eighth place.

For 2001, Button collaborated with Benetton, which had recently been purchased by Renault, for a new experience driver Giancarlo Fisichella. His car was uncompetitive due to a lack of power steering and horsepower in the faster teams, as well as a lack of pre-season inspection, and he was consistently outperformed by his colleagues. With a total of two points scored, he came in 17th; his best result was a fifth-place finish at the German Grand Prix. His poor form sparked rumors that he will be fired before the year's end; team principal Flavio Briatore said, "either he's really good or he leaves the top echelon of drivers" and offered him the opportunity to leave. When he tried to help his team establish a competitive vehicle, Briatore believed Button's inexperience showed. Any media outlets have dubbed him a "playboy" because of his lack of success and his lavish lifestyle.

Benetton was rebranded as Renault in 2002, and Jarno Trulli joined the team as a partner, not Button. After Briatore's conversation with Button about Byfield, he modified his social life habits, increased spending, and separating from Robertson and Huysman to join John Byfield's sport managerial staff in an attempt to raise his public image over the pre-season period. Briatore invited Button to spend ten days at a Kenya ranch to get acquainted with his peers and do physical preparation to eliminate a shoulder and back pain that had hindered him in 2001. Button spent a lot of time with his engineering team and felt there was an enhanced understanding between them; Button characterized himself as "very excited" for the season.

He was expected to win his first podium at the season's second race in Malaysia before a rear suspension problem forced him to fourth place in the final lap. Button's results had soared since 2001 because his car had power steering and launch control; although Trulli was often disqualified, he maintained the faster race speed to outscore his more experienced teammate. Despite Button's success and his desire to remain with Renault, Briatore informed him by phone that test driver Fernando Alonso would be replaced in 2003. Briatore was chastised for his decision, but Button said, "time will tell if I am wrong"; he would also suspect Button of being a "lazy playboy." After discussions with many teams fell through, Button signed a two-year deal for British American Racing (BAR) with the possibility to swap Olivier Panis, the outgoing Olivier Panis, partnering 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuveneuveneuve. The opportunity to work with David Richards, the BAR team's chief, was a determining factor in his decision, and he was enthralled with the team's long-term program. He finished seventh with 14 points on the season.

Button's first reaction was met by Villeneuve, who said that Button "should be in a boy band" and that he was not comfortable speaking on a speaking terms with him. Villeneuve's relationship did not improve after the first race in Australia: Villeneuveneuve was due to pit, but when Button arrived, they did a pit stop, leaving Button waiting in the pit lane while Villeneuve's car was serviced. Villeneuve attributed it to "radio issues," but Button and Richards denied that they didn't believe him. In the first six races, Button earned eight points, including his fourth place in the Austrian Grand Prix. His friendship with Villeneuve continued since because of his improved results, and he said that inter-team changes had influenced his behavior. During a high speed accident in Monaco on Saturday, Button was knocked unconscious, and he was held in hospital overnight. Despite the injury, Button continued to race, but his team was forced to leave due to medical advice. He had been licensed to compete in the following Grand Prix in Montreal. Button continued to outperform his colleagues, and his name was able to help him regain his once-famous image. Villeneuve lost his spot in BAR, so Button was partnered with Takuma Sato in his second fourth position of the season and ninth in the Drivers' Championship, with 17 points.

The 2004 season was the first in which Button was the more experienced driver in his team. He was aiming for points and podium finishes this season, and he was excited about the season. He claimed his first podium finish in the Malaysian Grand Prix's second race of the year — third-place. He returned to Bahrain two weeks later for his third position. In the upcoming race at Imola, he claimed his first pole position and finished second, behind Michael Schumacher. In 18 races, he earned 10 podiums and three others did not place in three of them. Button came third in the Drivers' Championship and aided BAR to finish second in the Constructors' Championship.

Button became embroiled in a labour dispute in August. Button resigned from BAR and signed a two-year deal with Williams on August 5th. He did so because BAR was not a works manufacturer team, but Williams was involved in a business relationship with BMW, wishing that they could help him win the Drivers' Championship. This was unexpected, as Button was having his best season to date, while Williams had been struggling. BAR insisted that they had the right to exercise their option to keep Button. His boss argued that the BAR option was invalid because it contained a clause allowing him to leave if BAR risked losing their Honda engines. They said the recent deal that Honda left engines to BAR in mid-year was not binding, and that means Button was free to move. The controversy was settled by the F1's Contract Recognition Board, who ruled in favour of BAR on October 20th, requiring Button to remain with the team. As a result, Button was evicted from his boss John Byfield, who said he had been misguided. Richard Goodard, his friend, was he was enlisted to lead him, and he hired a personal assistant to assist with the reorganizing of his company.

Despite the feud, Button maintained he had BAR's support and was optimistic for the 2005 season. He was unable to cope with legislative changes concerning aerodynamics, and his car lacked traction as a result. After race scrutineers discovered his car had a second fuel tank inside the main one that caused his car to be underweight when drained, Button was disqualified from third place at the San Marino Grand Prix. As a result, the FIA International Court of Appeal barred Button and his crew from the next two races. Following his return, he took his second pole position of his career in Montreal but fell out in third after an error while running third. Button placed in all of the remaining races after the United States Grand Prix, winning with two third-place finishes in Germany and Belgium to bring the season to a close ninth position on 37 points.

Button was involved in labour disputes involving BAR and Williams for the second year in a row. In 2006, Button had signed a pre-contract to drive for Williams, but he now believes his chances of winning his first Grand Prix victory will be higher at BAR, not binding. Frank Williams insisted that the agreement was fully binding, and that there will be "no turning back"; his staff had to convince Button to fulfill some contractual obligations with sponsors; Williams decided to release Button in exchange for an estimated £18 million in compensation after weeks of negotiations.

Following a buyout by Honda, BAR was renamed Honda before 2006, and Button was partnered by Rubens Barrichello, a veteran rubens Barrichello. Button was granted equal status by Honda, and he would not be given preferential treatment alongside Barrichello. The new team did well in testing, aided by Honda's additional resources, and Button was comfortable in the car. He had been frustrated by not converting his growing expertise and confidence in his driving to triumph in 2005, and was excited about Honda's cars and engine development, which enabled race victory challenges. In five of the first eleven races, Button placed fifth, the Malaysian Grand Prix, and pole position for the following Australian Grand Prix. He came from a 14th position start to his first victory of his career at the Hungarian Grand Prix in the 113th Grand Prix appearance of his career. In each of the next five races, Button placed fifth or fifth, and came to an end with a podium finish in Brazil. Over the last six races of the season, he earned more points (35) than any other driver.

In 2007, Button rode with Honda alongside Barrichello. Due to two hairline fractures to his ribs, he was unable to participate in pre-season testing, which occurred in late 2006. After Shuhei Nakamoto's dismissal of Geoff Willis, his Honda RA107 car had an aerodynamic anomaly due to a lack of grip. His year was worse than those of 2006, with a mediocre finish in the middle of the field and almost always qualifying outside the top ten. He had six points over the course of the season for his 15th overall, with a best finish in fifth at the rain-affected Chinese Grand Prix.

Button remained with Honda until 2008, and Barrichello followed him. He and a group of friends travelled to Lanzarote to build a base for the forthcoming season. Since Honda's chief, Ross Brawn, discovered wind tunnel designs of the vehicle, Button was secure. That year, Button began working with Michael Collier, a human performance coach. The Honda RA108 was uncompetitive, and he scored three points this year after finishing sixth at the Spanish Grand Prix.

Honda had to pull from F1 on the morning of 4 December 2008, affecting Button's odds of a drive in 2009 unless the team finds a buyer. He was alerted by Goodard the day before, but not the 2009 car's results. He declined to drive for Red Bull Racing's junior team Toro Rosso because the team did not have a podium-winning car and wanted sponsorship funds.

In early March 2009, Brawn bought the Honda team for a nominal fee and renamed it Brawn GP. In 2009, Button signed a long-term contract to drive for the team, but underwent a wage cut as part of the deal. Despite being classified as a "1 outsider" for the championship, Button's Brawn BGP 001 car was quick and reliable in pre-season testing in Europe, thanks to an aerodynamic package, a high Mercedes-Benz V8 engine, and grippy slick tyres. To make him more comfortable, the vehicle's seat was reduced.

Button won six of the first seven races with four pole positions, gaining him and the Toyota and Williams teams faster than others in the first seven races. Button's reigning in the first seven seasons and scoring 35 points, after accruing 61 in the first seven weeks. Button's smooth driving style kept him from generating heat in cold weather, owing to the team's spending 10% of the £7 million allocated on the vehicle and preventing him from converting heat into tyres. Button was hindered in qualifying due to a bad choice of tyres in the wet weather, and he could have climbed to 14th place. Vettel qualifying 16th placed him on pole, but teammate and closest competitor Barrichello qualified on pole, but teammate and closest rival Barrichello finished fourth. Button came in fifth, gaining enough points to win the championship with just one round remaining. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Button, finished second behind Barrichello in the season's final race, but he was able to post a podium after finishing third.

Nick Fry, the Brawn and team principal, told Button that they wanted him to sign a new deal and be paired with Nico Rosberg in the off-season. For 2010, Button asked for a pledge to vehicle improvement, which was close to repeating in 2009's. Mercedes would sell-out Brawn GP without finding potential sponsors, according to Button, who was unappealing and told his boss Richard Goodard that he wanted a new challenge.

Goodard contacted McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh to inquire about a drive for Button. Goodard mentioned that Button would not leave Brawn GP after they had won the Championship; Whitmarsh said they did not believe him; and that World champion Lewis Hamilton appealed to Button. At the team's Woking headquarters, discussions began shortly, and a three-year contract was agreed shortly after. Button said he moved because he needed the encouragement and challenge of playing alongside Hamilton, but Whitmarsh warned the two couples before the season began that they would discover any relationship issues between them.

Button claimed the Drivers' Championship after raining at the Australian Grand Prix and the Chinese Grand Prix in inconsistent weather. He later finished second in Turkey after his team's miscommunications pushed him to face Hamilton for the victory. This cooled his relationship with Hamilton, who was of the opinion that McLaren preferred Button over Button. He secured his status by posting two podium finishes and a trio of points scoring finishes to remain in contention for the championship. After Vettel struck him and punctured his radiator, Button retired at the Belgian Grand Prix. In both Singapore and Japan, Monza came second, followed by a fourth place. A number of criminals in the favelas on his way back from qualifying at Interlagos threatened Button and his entourage during the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend; no one was injured during the incident. With a fifth position in the competition and third in Abu Dhabi, Button was mathematically barred from returning the title to a fifth position.

In late 2010, Button's MP4-26 car was built around his taller frame from intra-team involvement. He believed that the introduction of Pirelli tyres this season would complement his smooth driving style, and that a world championship win would make it impossible for him to withdraw from F1. With three podium finishes, Button began the season by finishing no lower than sixth in the first six races. He won the rain-affected Canadian Grand Prix after two accidents put him at the back of the field and overtaking Vettel when the latter crossed wide on the slippery track on the final lap. Button won the Hungarian Grand Prix, which was held in the same weather as the Japanese Grand Prix, but his season was essentially barred from championship contention when Vettel took the trophy in Japan. With 270 points, Button took three victories and 12 podium finishes to finish runner-up. He performed better than his co-mission Hamilton six times over the season, and he's occasionally sacrificed his starting position to improve his chances of a contest.

When Button's talks with Ferrari about a race seat in 2013, Whitmarsh wanted him to remain in McLaren for the next three years. He signed a three-year deal with McLaren before the 2011 Japanese Grand Prix. Thanks to McLaren's finding a law loophole restricting the blowing of exhaust gases over portions of the vehicle's to improve downforce, Button was pleased with the latest MP4-27 model. The season's first Grand Prix victory and two-second-place finishes at the Chinese Grand Prix and the German Grand Prix were the highlights of his first half of the season. His overall results in the first seven races dropped due to a lack of heating temperature and the correct amount of grip on the new Pirelli short-live front tyres, as well as his smooth driving style and him changing brake materials several times to try and resolve the issue. To maintain temperature, Button modified the configuration of his car and adapted himself to the tyres to ensure optimal performance. In five of the next seven rounds for fifth overall with 188 points, Button's season included victories in Belgium and Brazil, as well as top-five finishes in five of the next five rounds.

Button was recruited by Ferrari Driver Academy graduate Sergio Pérez for 2013, but the pair's friendship was cooler as the former joined the team eagerly. In March 2013, he was elected as a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Union (GPDA). McLaren built the MP4-28 car early in 2014, but from scratch. As a result of Button's driving, he was forced to push an unstable vehicle with understeer, a lack of downforce, and severe tyre damage. McLaren's latest addition to the season-opening Australian Grand Prix was a performance-based on the MP4-27, which had no significant effect, and Button continued to post sub-par results throughout the season, with a best of fourth at the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix. He was ranked ninth overall with 73 points. Early in the season in Bahrain and Monaco, Button was involved in a tense driving by his colleague Pérez early in the season, annoying him.

In September 2013, he negotiated the terms of his deal with McLaren for 2014, but he contemplated taking a sabbatical from F1 following the unexpected death of his father in Monaco in January 2014. Kevin Magnussen, with whom he was able to establish a rapport, was accompanied by Button, and the MP4-29 vehicle suffered from a lack of front downforce and a tumultuous rear. After being disqualified for a fuel flow consumption infringement, Daniel Ricciardo, the Red Bull Racing driver, was disqualified for a fuel flow consumption violation, and his team lost a subsequent appeal against the decision. It will be his last career podium appearance. In the Drivers' Championship and 126 points, Button finished fourth in a quartet of fourth-place finishes and scored seven more times for eighth. Button scored twice as many points as Magnussen ten times and had a better understanding.

Button became unenthusiastic over F1 and the press speculated on his future in the sport, with rumors that Alonso would be Magnussen's teammate in 2015. He wanted to remain at McLaren, but he was made insecure about his future and told himself to concentrate on the present rather than worrying about the future. Dennis did not want Button to drive for McLaren, but Mansour Ojjeh, a fellow team shareholder, told him that after investigating the facts, Button should remain over Magnussen. Button and McLaren racing director Éric Boullier and team owner Ron Dennis came to an agreement for Button to continue racing on December 10th. With the option for a second year in Button's employment, he decided against it; McLaren or Button were able to activate clauses to end the deal after the season if one of the parties wanted it. Button's 2015 was disappointing due to an unreliable and a lack of straightline speed, resulting in four top-ten finishes and a best result of sixth at the United States Grand Prix. He was barely able to make it to the first qualifying session and finished 16th in the Drivers' Championship with 16 points.

Following contractual discussions with Dennis and meetings with aerodynamics and engineers at the McLaren Technology Centre, he was retained by the McLaren team for 2016 (MTC). By staying at McLaren for another year, Button received a 50% raise. He had considered returning to the Williams team but decided against it. His latest Honda engine was more effective and allowed him to compete for points-scoring finishes, but reliability continued to hold off him and McLaren. He appeared in 15 of the 21 races this season, leading to his third appearance at the Austrian Grand Prix, his highest finish for the McLaren-Honda team. Button finished the season in a season-high sixth. He was unable to finish higher than eighth in the following years and ended his full-time career after suffering from a suspension suspension at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. With 21 points finishing higher than Alonso five times and qualifying higher on four occasions, Button finished 15th in the Drivers' Championship, finishing better than Alonso five times and qualifying higher on four occasions.

Dennis told Dennis he expected to retire before the season. Dennis begged Button to wait before returning for discussion, but he said he had already decided. He advised Button to sabbatical and mull over his decision to resign while resting and making Button an ambassador for McLaren. He will work in the MTC's simulator, represent them at sponsor functions, and assist them in vehicle research. Button was kept by McLaren as a reserve driver, with the ability to return to full-time racing for the team in 2018 if he and McLaren agreed to it. Romain Grosjean was promoted as a GPDA chief by Romain Grosjean. In April 2017, Boullier begged Button to drive in place of the Indianapolis 500-bound Alonso at the Monaco Grand Prix, but Goodard advised him there was no way to get out of the commitment because he was contractually bound to drive. Rather than testing in Bahrain, he was prepared in the team's simulator because he would learn nothing by not traveling on a narrow road circuit. Following a collision with Sauber driver Pascal Wehrlein that injured his car, he retired late in the race.

By 2017, Button was promoted as the McLaren reserve driver by the 2017 FIA Formula Three European champion Lando Norris. McLaren's deal came to an end at the end of 2017, allowing him to concentrate on other racing ventures.

Button resurfaced Williams as a senior advisor on a multi-year contract in January 2021. He'll help with the team's race and Williams Academy participants, as well as perform ambassadorial duties for the team. Button's entire team rather than a specific department, although travel restrictions from the US and COVID-19 restrictions barred Williams' entry into the team since he was in the Sky Sports broadcasting bubble.

Super GT career

In about 2011, Button became involved in Super GT, and after discussions with Honda, he made his debut in a NSX-GT with colleagues Hideki Mutoh and Daisuke Nakajima. Following two penalties and two tyre punctures, the trio finished 12th in the rankings. He had been considering racing for Acura Team Penske's IMSA SportsCar Championship team, but was turned down. In the No. 1 in the full 2018 Super GT Series for Team Kunimitsu. Naoki Yamamoto is the founder of a 100-class Honda NSX-GT; Button wanted to drive a Bridgestone-shod vehicle; drivers recommended Yamamoto because he speaks English. Button's staff assisted him in learning how to work better and adapt to the series's culture. He and Yamamoto won at Sportsland Sugo and finished second in second place, equal in points with the TOM's duo of Ry Hirakawa and Nick Cassidy. He beat Hirakawa by three points in the GT500 championship, becoming the first rookie champion since Toranosuke Takagi in 2005.

In the renumbered No. 301, Button stayed with Team Kunimitsu throughout the 2019 season, as well as Yamamoto. 1 Honda. Button and Yamamoto were pushed out of the lead in the first round at Okayama in an event-filled season, a mistimed safety car at the second Fuji race, and a poor tyre choice in the rain at Sugo cost the team possible victories. With 37 points, the pair secured second podium finishes in both Fuji rounds and a sixth position at Motegi, finishing eighth overall in the GT500 Drivers' Championship. As Honda's wild card entry, he rode the final two races of the season-end Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) round in his Team Kunimitsu NSX car in October 2019. He came in ninth place in the first race and 16th in the second. Button did not enter the "Super GT DTM Dream Race" at Fuji Speedway because his job did not expect him to do so, and he left Super GT after 2019 because he did not want to fly regularly from the United States to Japan and wanted to try other racing series.

Sports car career

Button made his endurance racing debut at the 1999 24 Hours of Spa, bringing a BMW Raffanelli E46 with David Saelens and Tom Enge in the SP class and retiring after 22 laps due to fuel tank failure. Vitaly Petrov and Mikhail Aleshin for SMP Racing partnered Button to drive the majority of the 2018-19 FIA World Endurance Championship, sharing a BR Engineering BR1 car. Electronic issues brought the car down the order before the team recovered with an engine failure late in the game, with Button driving at the time. At the 6 Hours of Fuji, he came in third place and third at the following 6 Hours of Shanghai. Button missed the 1000 Miles of Sebring and 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps due to Super GT commitments and Le Mans' 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans because his fiancée was set to give birth to their first child.

He made his British GT debut in the third round of the 2020 season, the three-hour Silverstone 500, sharing the No. 2 slot. 3 Jenson Team Rocket RJN McLaren 720S GT3 with team co-owner Chris Buncombe. The two finished in 14th place in the race.

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