Jenson Button announces his retirement
The 2009 F1 world champion confirms he will retire from racing after the 8 Hours of Bahrain, which will take place next week.
After more than two decades behind the wheel, former Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button is officially hanging up his helmet.
In a surprise announcement, the British racing legend revealed that his final professional race will take place next week—on Friday, November 8, at the 8 Hours of Bahrain. The endurance event is part of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), where Button has competed for several years while also serving as a Formula 1 pundit.
“This will be my last race,” Button said in an interview with BBC Radio Somerset. “I’ve always loved Bahrain—it’s a fun track, and I’m going to enjoy every moment because this marks the end of my career as a professional driver.”
A career that defined an era
Button’s decision comes nine years after stepping away from Formula 1 in 2016, following a remarkable 17-season run that began in 2000 with Williams. Over the years, he raced for Benetton, BAR-Honda, McLaren, and most famously, Brawn GP—where he achieved his greatest triumph.
In 2009, Button stunned the racing world by clinching the F1 World Championship with Brawn GP, a team that had just debuted that season. He won six of the first seven races, helping the team secure both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ titles in their one and only year in Formula 1. By the end of that season, Mercedes had acquired the team, and Brawn GP disappeared into the history books.
Button also finished runner-up in the 2011 championship and wrapped up his F1 career with impressive stats: 306 Grand Prix starts, 15 wins, 8 pole positions, 50 podiums, and 8 fastest laps. His final F1 appearance came in 2017 at the Monaco Grand Prix, stepping in for Fernando Alonso while the Spaniard competed in the Indianapolis 500.
Beyond F1: a global racing journey
After leaving Formula 1, Button continued to race across the globe. He won the Japanese Super GT championship in 2018, competed in IMSA, NASCAR, Extreme E, multiple editions of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the WEC—where he’ll take his final bow.
As for why now, Button cited the growing demands of family life. “I’ve really enjoyed my time with Jota [his WEC team], but life has gotten too busy,” he explained. “It’s not fair to the team or to myself to commit to 2026 thinking I’ll have enough time. My kids are four and six, and when you’re gone for a week, you miss so much… that time doesn’t come back.”
He added, “I’ve missed a lot over the past two years, and I was okay with it because I knew it was part of the deal. But I’m not willing to do that again for another season.”
Racing for the love of it
While Button is stepping away from professional racing, he’s not leaving the track entirely. He plans to continue driving casually with his own collection of vintage cars. “I’ve got some classic cars I love racing,” he said. “It’s exciting because they’re mine—cars I own—and I really enjoy the mechanical side of it.”
As fans prepare to say goodbye to one of motorsport’s most beloved figures, Button’s legacy remains etched in racing history. His final lap may be near, but his passion for speed is far from over.
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