Sixteen years after his fairy-tale F1 world championship, Jenson Button is preparing to hang up his helmet for good – but not before one final blast under the Bahraini lights.
The 45-year-old Briton has confirmed that next week's 8 Hours of Bahrain, the closing round of the World Endurance Championship, will mark the end of his professional racing career.
It’s a poignant farewell for one of the sport’s most polished and popular figures – and Button intends to savour every second.
“This will be my last race,” Button told BBC Radio Somerset. “I’ve always liked Bahrain, I think it’s a fun track, and I’m going to enjoy it as much as I can because this will be the end of my professional racing career.”
A Champion’s Final Chapter
Button’s journey from a fresh-faced 20-year-old F1 rookie in 2000 to 2009 world champion with Brawn GP remains one of motorsport’s great modern stories – a blend of perseverance, class, and impeccable timing.
After leaving Formula 1 at the end of 2016, he made a one-off return at the 2017 Monaco Grand Prix, subbing for Fernando Alonso, before branching into endurance racing and punditry.
©Instagram/JensonButton
Now competing with Cadillac Hertz Team Jota, Button sits ninth in the WEC drivers’ standings alongside Sébastien Bourdais and Earl Bamber. But as the season finale looms, he admits life outside the cockpit is calling louder than ever.
“I’ve really enjoyed my time with Jota in WEC,” he said. “But my life has got way too busy and it’s not fair on the team or on myself to go into 2026 and think that I’m going to have enough time for it.”
Family, Focus, and Farewell
For Button, the decision is as much about family as it is about fatigue. A father of two, he’s candid about the toll of time away from home.
“My kids are four and six and you’re away for a week and you miss so much, you don’t get this time back,” he explained.
“I feel like I’ve missed a lot the last couple of years, which has been fine because I knew that would happen, but I’m not willing to do that again for another season.”
Button’s honesty captures the essence of a racer at peace – content to step away while still competitive, and ready to trade the roar of engines for the noise of family life.
While he’ll continue appearing as a Sky F1 pundit on selected F1 weekends, the Bahrain race represents the end of Button’s two-decade professional career – one that delivered 15 Grand Prix victories, a world title, and the admiration of fans across generations.
For a driver who built a career on finesse, calm under pressure, and a touch of class, it’s a fitting way to take the chequered flag – on his own terms, with a smile.
Read also: Button closes professional chapter, will be ‘racing for fun’ in 2026
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