British racing driver and 2009 Formula 1 World Champion with the Brawn GP team will no longer race for Cadillac next year, as he is preparing to end his professional racing career.
Photo: Shameem fahath
Jenson Button, who finished second last weekend in the six-hour race in São Paulo, Brazil, has hinted that he is planning to retire from racing due to a shift in priorities. He now wants to focus more on his family. However, he also stated that he will still race next year, but only in one-off events rather than full-time racing as he has done until now. Button currently has two podium finishes in the WEC series. The first came in 2018 during the six-hour race in Shanghai, where he finished third with the SMP Racing team, and the second, as already mentioned, was last weekend in Brazil.
“Life has got too busy,” said Button. “There’s so many different things going on.
“It’s about time I start thinking about the future a little bit more. I want to spend more time with my family as well.
“It’s a very busy schedule I have and it’s unfair as well to the team. I probably don’t have enough time to give to it, especially next year.”
Button said he will remain open to one-off racing appearances in the future, hinting that “I’ll be racing in some things next year, but not a full season.”
Photo: FIA WEC
“I’m looking forward to next year, but first of all, there’s four great races here,” said Button prior to last weekend’s fifth round of the WEC season. “Obviously the car’s looking strong, so I’m going to enjoy those races.
“The team is great. The team are really cool. [It’s a] great bunch of drivers over the last two years and it’s a pretty spectacular championship and very competitive and multi-class racing is always fun. I’ve enjoyed my time here.
“I’m just going to go and have some fun. I’ve got four races to have some fun so that’s the aim.” he said for sportcar365.com
His racing CV also includes a spectacular appearance at Le Mans with a NASCAR car, in which he took part in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2023 as part of the Garage 56 project.
However, he had also raced a NASCAR on traditional oval circuits in the past, where he got a taste of this American racing series.