Jenson Button facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jenson Button
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Button at the 2024 6 Hours of Fuji
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| Born |
Jenson Alexander Lyons Button
19 January 1980 |
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| Spouse(s) | |||||||
| Partner(s) | Louise Griffiths (2000–2005) | ||||||
| Children | 2 | ||||||
| Formula One World Championship career | |||||||
| Nationality |  British |
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| Active years | 2000–2017 | ||||||
| Teams | Williams, Benetton, Renault, BAR, Honda, Brawn, McLaren | ||||||
| Car number | 22 | ||||||
| Entries | 309 (306 starts) | ||||||
| Championships | 1 (2009) | ||||||
| Wins | 15 | ||||||
| Podiums | 50 | ||||||
| Career points | 1235 | ||||||
| Pole positions | 8 | ||||||
| Fastest laps | 8 | ||||||
| First entry | 2000 Australian Grand Prix | ||||||
| First win | 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix | ||||||
| Last win | 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix | ||||||
| Last entry | 2017 Monaco Grand Prix | ||||||
| FIA World Endurance Championship career | |||||||
| Debut season | 2018–19 | ||||||
| Current team | Jota | ||||||
| Racing licence |  FIA Platinum |
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| Former teams | SMP | ||||||
| Starts | 12 | ||||||
| Championships | 0 | ||||||
| Wins | 0 | ||||||
| Podiums | 1 | ||||||
| Poles | 0 | ||||||
| Fastest laps | 0 | ||||||
| Best finish | 15th in 2018–19 (LMP1) | ||||||
| Super GT career | |||||||
| Years active | 2017–2019 | ||||||
| Teams | Mugen, Kunimitsu | ||||||
| Starts | 17 | ||||||
| Championships | 1 (2018) | ||||||
| Wins | 1 | ||||||
| Podiums | 6 | ||||||
| Poles | 1 | ||||||
| Fastest laps | 0 | ||||||
| Best finish | 1st in 2018 (GT500) | ||||||
| NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
| 3 races run over 1 year | |||||||
| Car no., team | No. 15 (Rick Ware Racing) | ||||||
| First race | 2023 EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix (Texas) | ||||||
| Last race | 2023 Verizon 200 at the Brickyard (Indianapolis) | ||||||
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Jenson Alexander Lyons Button (born 19 January 1980) is a British racing driver. He currently races in the FIA World Endurance Championship for Jota. Button is famous for competing in Formula One from 2000 to 2017. He won the World Drivers' Championship in 2009 with the Brawn team. Overall, he won 15 Grand Prix races during his 18 seasons in F1.
Button started karting when he was eight years old. He quickly became very good at it. After karting, he moved on to car racing in the British Formula Ford Championship and the British Formula 3 Championship. His first time driving in F1 was with Williams in 2000. He then raced for Benetton (which became Renault) and BAR. In 2004, he finished third in the World Drivers' Championship. BAR later became the Honda team. In 2006, after 113 races, Button won his first Grand Prix in Hungary.
Contents
Early Life and Racing Dreams
Jenson Button was born on January 19, 1980, in Frome, England. He grew up in a nearby village called Vobster. His father, John Button, was a well-known rallycross driver. Jenson loved racing from a young age. He would race his BMX bike with friends after school. He also watched Formula One (F1) races with his dad. Jenson looked up to the famous driver Alain Prost.
Jenson's parents divorced when he was seven. He and his three older sisters were raised by their mother. Jenson went to local schools. His racing career meant he didn't study much. He left school with only one GCSE. Fun fact: Jenson failed his first driving test! He drove between two cars on a narrow road.
Karting: Jenson's First Races
Jenson's dad gave him a small 50cc bike for his seventh birthday. But Jenson found it too slow! He wanted something faster. His dad then talked to a rallycross driver named Keith Ripp. Ripp suggested Jenson try go-kart racing. Jenson got a Zip go-kart for Christmas in 1987. He started karting at Clay Pigeon Raceway in May 1988, when he was eight.
His dad taught him how to control the kart. He even made Jenson drive on slick tyres in the rain. This helped Jenson learn how to handle a kart on a wet track. In 1989, at age nine, Jenson won the British Super Prix. In 1991, he won all 34 races in the British Cadet Kart Championship! After this, Jenson told his dad his goal was to race in F1.
Jenson continued to win many races. This included three British Open Kart Championship titles. In 1995, at just 15 years old, he was the youngest runner-up in the Formula A World Championship. In 1997, he won the European Super A Championship. He was the youngest driver and the first British person to do so.
Moving to Car Racing
When he was 18, Jenson started racing single-seater cars. His mentor, Paul Lemmens, introduced him to racing manager Harald Huysman. Jenson tested a powerful F3 car and quickly got used to it. He wanted to start in Formula Ford first. He felt he was not ready for Formula Three (F3) yet.
In 1998, Jenson won the British Formula Ford Championship. He won nine races and also the Formula Ford Festival. He finished second in the European Formula Ford Championship. At the end of 1998, Jenson won the annual Autosport BRDC Award. This prize included a test drive in a McLaren MP4/14 F1 car! He impressed the team owner, Ron Dennis.
Jenson then raced in the British Formula 3 International Series in 1999. He won three races and finished third overall. He was the top rookie driver that year. He also finished second in the Macau Grand Prix. After this, Jenson decided he wanted to move up. He tested a Formula 3000 (F3000) car but didn't like it much.
Formula One Career: The Big Leagues
Williams (2000)
In late 1999, Jenson got a call from Frank Williams, the boss of the Williams F1 team. Williams offered Jenson a spot on his team! Jenson was surprised but said yes. This made him Britain's youngest F1 driver ever.
In his second race, the 2000 Brazilian Grand Prix, Jenson finished sixth. This made him the youngest driver to score a point in F1 history at the time. He often qualified well, sometimes even better than his teammate. However, Williams had already planned to bring in another driver, Juan Pablo Montoya. So, Jenson moved to the Benetton team for two years. His best qualifying was third in Belgium. His best race finish was fourth in Germany. He ended his first F1 season in eighth place with 12 points.
Benetton and Renault (2001–2002)
Benetton (2001)
In 2001, Jenson joined Benetton. The team had just been bought by Renault. His car was not very good. It lacked power and was hard to drive. He struggled compared to his teammate, Giancarlo Fisichella. Jenson finished 17th in the Drivers' Championship with only two points. His best finish was fifth in Germany. Some people thought he might even be replaced.
Renault (2002)
In 2002, Benetton became the Renault team. Jarno Trulli joined as Jenson's new teammate. Jenson worked hard to improve. He trained more and changed his lifestyle. He also worked closely with his engineers. This helped him understand his car better.
In Malaysia, Jenson was close to getting on the podium. But a problem with his car dropped him to fourth place. His driving improved a lot in 2002. Even though Trulli often qualified faster, Jenson showed better race speed. Despite his good performance, Renault decided to replace him with Fernando Alonso for 2003. Jenson then signed a contract with British American Racing (BAR). He finished the 2002 season in seventh place with 14 points.
BAR and Honda (2003–2008)
BAR (2003–2005)
2003
Jenson's new teammate at BAR was Jacques Villeneuve, a former world champion. At first, they didn't get along. Villeneuve even made some unfriendly comments about Jenson. Their relationship got better as Jenson started performing well. He scored points in the first few races. In Monaco, Jenson had a big crash during qualifying. He was knocked out and stayed in the hospital overnight. But he was back to race in Canada. Jenson continued to do better than Villeneuve. Villeneuve left the team before the last race. Jenson finished ninth in the championship with 17 points.
2004
The 2004 season was Jenson's best year so far. He wanted to get on the podium often. He got his first podium of the year in Malaysia, finishing third. He got another third place in Bahrain. Then, in San Marino, he took his first ever pole position! He finished second in that race, behind Michael Schumacher. Jenson got on the podium 10 times in 18 races. He finished third in the Drivers' Championship. He also helped BAR finish second in the Constructors' Championship.
After this great season, Jenson had a problem with his contract. He wanted to move back to Williams. He thought Williams, with their BMW engines, could help him win the championship. But BAR said he had to stay. The issue went to a special board, which decided Jenson had to stay with BAR. He then changed his manager.
2005
Despite the contract issues, Jenson was hopeful for 2005. But new rules about car design made his car slower. He was disqualified from third place in San Marino. This was because his car was found to be too light. He and his team were banned from the next two races. When he returned, he took his second pole position in Canada. But he crashed out of the race. Jenson finished the season strong, with two third-place finishes. He ended up ninth in the championship with 37 points.
Jenson again had contract talks about moving to Williams for 2006. But he felt he had a better chance of winning at BAR. After many discussions, Williams agreed to let Jenson go. BAR paid them a large amount of money.
Honda (2006–2008)
2006
BAR became the Honda team in 2006. Jenson's new teammate was the experienced Rubens Barrichello. Jenson was confident in the new car. He had been waiting for a chance to win a race. He scored points in many early races. He finished third in Malaysia. He also got pole position in Australia. Then, in Hungary, Jenson won his first ever Grand Prix! It was a rain-affected race. He started from 14th place. This was his 113th F1 race. He finished the season strong, scoring more points than any other driver in the last six races.
2007
In 2007, Jenson continued with Honda. He missed pre-season testing because he broke two ribs in a karting accident. His Honda car was difficult to drive. It lacked grip and was not balanced. Jenson struggled and usually qualified outside the top ten. He scored only six points all season. His best finish was fifth in the rainy Chinese Grand Prix.
2008
Jenson stayed with Honda for 2008. He trained hard for the season. He was hopeful because Ross Brawn became the team principal. But the Honda car was still not competitive. Jenson scored only three points that year. His best result was sixth in Spain.
In December 2008, Honda decided to leave F1 because of money problems. This left Jenson without a team for 2009. He turned down an offer from another team because he wanted a car that could win.
Brawn GP: World Champion (2009)
In early 2009, Ross Brawn bought the Honda team. He renamed it Brawn GP. Jenson signed a contract to drive for them. He even took a pay cut to stay. Many people thought Brawn GP would not do well. But Jenson's Brawn BGP 001 car was amazing in pre-season testing. It was fast and reliable. This was thanks to a clever design and a powerful Mercedes engine.
Jenson won six of the first seven races! He also got four pole positions. This was partly because his car had a special "double diffuser" design. Other teams didn't have this at first. Once other teams added similar designs, Jenson's dominance ended. He still scored points in most races. At the 2009 Brazilian Grand Prix, Jenson finished fifth. This was enough for him to win the World Drivers' Championship! He had led the points all season. His success also helped Brawn GP win the Constructors' Championship.
After winning the championship, Jenson wanted to stay with a team that would keep developing the car. He decided to look for a new challenge.
McLaren (2010–2017)
Jenson decided to move to McLaren for the 2010 season. He partnered with fellow British driver and 2008 world champion, Lewis Hamilton. Jenson said he wanted the challenge of racing against Hamilton. The team boss, Martin Whitmarsh, warned them to get along.
2010
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Jenson won his first race with McLaren in Australia. He also won in China. Both races had changing weather conditions. He took the lead in the Drivers' Championship. He finished second in Turkey after a misunderstanding with his team. This caused some tension with Hamilton. Jenson continued to score points and podiums. He retired from the Belgian Grand Prix after a collision. He finished fifth in the championship that year.
2011
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Jenson's McLaren car for 2011 was built to fit him better. He thought the new Pirelli tyres would suit his smooth driving style. He started the season well, finishing in the top six in the first six races. He won the rainy Canadian Grand Prix. He had two collisions but still came back to win on the last lap. Jenson also won in Hungary (another wet race) and Japan. He finished the season as runner-up in the championship. He had three wins and 12 podium finishes.
2012
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Jenson signed a new three-year contract with McLaren. He was happy with the new car. He won the first race of the season in Australia. He also had two second-place finishes. But then he struggled to get his tyres to work well. This was because of his smooth driving style. He changed his car's setup and adapted his driving. Jenson then won two more races in Belgium and Brazil. He finished fifth overall in the championship.
2013
Jenson's new teammate at McLaren was Sergio Pérez. Their relationship was not as friendly. McLaren built their 2013 car differently. This made the car unstable and hard to drive. Jenson struggled throughout the season. His best finish was fourth in Brazil. He finished ninth overall in the championship. Jenson was also involved in some aggressive driving with his teammate, which annoyed him.
2014–2015
Jenson decided to stay with McLaren for 2014. Sadly, his father passed away in January 2014. Jenson considered taking a break from F1. His new teammate was Kevin Magnussen. Jenson's car still had problems with grip. He finished third in the first race in Australia. This was his last podium finish in F1. He had four fourth-place finishes and scored points many times. He finished eighth in the Drivers' Championship.
In 2015, there was talk about Jenson's future. He wanted to stay at McLaren. He eventually signed a new contract. But the Honda engine in his car was not good. It was unreliable and lacked power. Jenson struggled again, getting only four top-ten finishes. His best result was sixth in the United States. He finished 16th in the Drivers' Championship.
2016–2017
McLaren kept Jenson for 2016. He got a pay rise. He had thought about returning to Williams but decided against it. The new Honda engine was more powerful. But reliability problems continued to affect McLaren. Jenson finished 15 of the 21 races. He qualified a season-high third in Austria and finished sixth. He ended his full-time F1 career with a suspension failure in Abu Dhabi. He finished 15th in the Drivers' Championship.
Before the 2016 Belgian Grand Prix, Jenson told McLaren he planned to retire. McLaren asked him to become an ambassador and reserve driver. He would work in the team's simulator and help with car development. In April 2017, Jenson made a one-off return to race in Monaco. He filled in for Fernando Alonso. He retired from the race after a collision. His contract with McLaren ended in 2017.
Williams Senior Advisor (2021)
In January 2021, Jenson Button rejoined the Williams team. He became a senior advisor. He works with their drivers and helps the team. He also does ambassador duties for Williams.
Super GT Career
Jenson became interested in the Super GT racing series in Japan. In 2017, he made his debut at the Suzuka 1000km race. He drove a Honda NSX-GT car. In 2018, Jenson drove the full Super GT season for Team Kunimitsu. His teammate was Naoki Yamamoto. Jenson and Yamamoto won a race at Sportsland Sugo. They also had two second-place finishes. They went into the final race tied on points. Jenson held off his rival to win the GT500 title! He was the first rookie champion since 2005.
In 2019, Jenson stayed with Team Kunimitsu. He and Yamamoto had some bad luck. They were taken out of the lead in one race. A bad tyre choice in the rain cost them another win. They still got two podium finishes. Jenson left Super GT after 2019. He didn't want to fly between the US and Japan so often. He wanted to try other racing series.
Sports Car Racing Adventures
Jenson first tried endurance racing in 1999. He raced in the 24 Hours of Spa. In 2018, he agreed to race in the FIA World Endurance Championship. He drove a BR Engineering BR1 car in the LMP1 class. He made his debut at the 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans. His car had electronic problems and later an engine failure. He finished fourth in Japan and third in China.
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In 2020, Jenson raced in the British GT Championship. He shared a McLaren 720S GT3 car. In 2023, Jenson drove a special NASCAR car at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He was part of the Garage 56 entry. He also raced in the IMSA SportsCar Championship. He finished fifth at the Petit Le Mans race.
For 2024, Jenson returned to the FIA World Endurance Championship. He joined Team Jota. He shared a Porsche 963 car. He finished 19th in the championship. His best result was sixth in Japan. Jenson will stay with Jota for 2025. He will drive a Cadillac V-Series.R car.
Other Racing Ventures
Jenson has been invited to the Race of Champions six times. This is a special event where drivers from different series compete. In 2009, he reached the semi-finals. In 2019, Jenson started racing off-road trucks. He competed in races like the Mint 400.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Jenson took part in eSports races. In 2021, Jenson started his own racing team called JBXE. They compete in the all-electric SUV off-road series Extreme E. Jenson drove in the first round. Then he focused on managing his team. He also tried historic racing at the Goodwood Revival.
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In 2023, Jenson raced in three NASCAR Cup Series races. He drove the No. 15 car for Rick Ware Racing. He finished 18th at the Circuit of the Americas. He finished 21st at the Chicago Street Course. And he finished 28th at Indianapolis.
Driving Style: Smooth and Smart
Jenson Button is known for his very smooth driving style. He is great at carrying speed into corners. He makes small, precise movements with the steering wheel and throttle. This helps him drive well in wet weather. It also helps him save his tyres during a race. He learned this smooth style in go-karts.
Jenson uses his left foot to brake. This helps him stop the car faster. He likes a car that is stable in corners. He can adapt quickly to changing track conditions. His smooth style means he sometimes struggles to get his tyres warm enough on a cold track. But it also helps him think more clearly during races. He can notice things without his team telling him.
Car Number
In 2014, F1 drivers could choose their own car number. Jenson chose number 22. This was the number he had when he won the championship in 2009.
Beyond the Track: Endorsements and Charity
Jenson has worked with many big companies. He has been a brand ambassador for Head & Shoulders, Hilton, Hugo Boss, and Vodafone. He was listed as one of the world's top-earning drivers. In 2020, he worked with Dare 2b on a ski clothing line. He also helped relaunch the luxury car maker Radford in 2021.
Jenson is also involved in charity work. He created The Jenson Button Trust in 2010. This trust helps different charities. He supports the Make-A-Wish Foundation UK, which helps sick children. He also supports The Prince's Trust and the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation. After his father passed away, Jenson started the 'Pink for Papa' campaign. This raises money for the Henry Surtees Foundation.
Jenson has also been involved in other projects. He owned a restaurant for a short time. He co-founded a sports agency. He also started a sports car team called Jenson Team Rocket RJN. Jenson has voiced his own character in a cartoon series. Since 2018, he has worked as a race analyst for Sky Sports F1.
Personal Life
Jenson enjoys mountain biking, triathlons, and bodyboarding. He also collects cars. He was engaged to actress Louise Griffiths. He was married to Japanese model Jessica Michibata from 2014 to 2015. In 2022, he married American model Brittny Ward. They have a son and a daughter. They live in Los Angeles. Jenson supports Bristol City Football Club.
In 2015, Jenson and his wife were burgled at their rented home in France. Thieves stole valuable items, including his wife's engagement ring. Reports suggested they might have been gassed during the robbery.
Images for kids
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Button at the 2024 6 Hours of Fuji
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Button (on the right) after finishing third at the 1996 Ayrton Senna Memorial Trophy
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Button's Williams FW22 at the Donington Grand Prix Exhibition.
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Button at the 2001 French Grand Prix driving for Benetton.
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Button competing for Renault at the 2002 British Grand Prix.
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Button driving for BAR at the 2004 United States Grand Prix.
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Button at the 2005 Canadian Grand Prix, where he took pole position.
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Button driving the Honda RA106 which he drove to victory at the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix.
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Button driving for Honda at the 2007 Chinese Grand Prix.
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Button driving for Honda at the 2008 Chinese Grand Prix.
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The Brawn BGP 001 car that Button drove to win the 2009 championship.
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Button's first race for McLaren was the 2010 Bahrain Grand Prix.
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Button took his first victory with McLaren at the 2010 Australian Grand Prix.
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Button celebrating his win of the 2011 Canadian Grand Prix.
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Button practicing for the 2012 Canadian Grand Prix.
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Button driving at the 2013 Italian Grand Prix.
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Button competing at the 2014 Chinese Grand Prix.
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Button driving at the 2015 British Grand Prix.
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Button competing in the 2016 Bahrain Grand Prix.
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The Honda NSX-GT that Button and Naoki Yamamoto drove to win the 2018 Super GT title.
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The No. 24 Camaro ZL1 driven by Button, Johnson, and Rockenfeller at the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans.
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The No. 38 Porsche 963 driven by Button, Hanson, and Rasmussen at the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans.
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Button's car at Indianapolis.
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Button driving a McLaren MP4-23 car through the streets of Manchester in August 2011.
See also
In Spanish: Jenson Button para niños
