The champion announces: “I want to watch my kids grow up. I’m not willing to lose more time.”
A legendary career, ending with the same British elegance that defined him: Jenson Button has officially announced that the Bahrain 8 Hours on November 8 will be the final race of his professional driving career. The 2009 Formula 1 World Champion, now competing in the FIA WEC with Team Jota, shared the news in an interview with BBC Radio Somerset.
Clear, mature words from someone who knows speed will always live in his heart… but life is calling elsewhere.
“This will be my last race. Bahrain is a track I’ve always enjoyed, and I’ll try to savour every moment because it marks the end of my professional racing career.
I’ve really enjoyed racing with Jota in WEC, but life has become too hectic and it wouldn’t be fair, neither to the team nor to myself, to think I’ll have enough time in 2026. My kids are four and six years old, and when you’re away for a week, you miss so much — you can’t get that time back.
I feel like I’ve missed a lot over the last two years — which I expected — but I’m not willing to do it again for another season.”
Button bows out after over two decades in racing: 306 F1 starts, 15 wins, a magical title with fairy-tale Brawn GP, and a competitive, respected stint in endurance racing.
And while a beautiful motorsport chapter closes for all of us, for Jenson a new adventure begins — watching his children grow, far from the spotlight that shaped him and crowned him a World Champion.
Photo: Jenson Button
