Jenson Button is a British racing driver and former Formula One driver. He won the 2009 Formula One World Championship, driving for Brawn GP. Button announced in September 2016 that he would be giving up his seat at the end of the 2016 season but remained at McLaren as a reserve driver and ambassador of McLaren. He currently competes in the Japanese Super GT Series driving for Team Kunimitsu, in which he won the title.
Birth Name
Jenson Alexander Lyons Button
Nickname
Jens
Profession
Racing Driver, Former Formula One Driver
Car Number
- 10 – Williams
- 8 – Benetton
- 9 – Honda
- 22 – McLaren, Brawn
Personal Life
Birthday / Date of Birth
Jenson Button was born on the 19th of January 1980, in Frome, Somerset, England, United Kingdom.
Age
He is currently 43 years old.
Sun Sign
Capricorn
Nationality
British
Ethnicity
White
He has English ancestry on his father’s side while on his mother’s side, he is of South African descent.
Education
Button went to the Vallis First School. He has also studied at the Selwood Middle School. Then, he attended Frome Community College, a comprehensive school based in his hometown of Frome.
Family Details
- Father – John Button (Former Rallycross Driver)
- Mother – Simone Lyons
- Siblings – Samantha Button (Older Sister), Tanya Button (Older Sister), Natasha Button (Older Sister)
- Relatives – Pippa Kerr (Step-mother)
Marital Status
Married
Girlfriend / Spouse
Jenson Button has dated –
- Louise Griffiths (2000-2005) – In 2000, Jenson started dating singer and actress, Louise Griffiths. They got engaged in 2003. However, they couldn’t make it up to the aisle as they decided to end their relationship in the summer of 2005. They had even set the marriage date but decided to call it off just 3 months before the event. However, they have remained on good terms and have been seen hanging out together over the years.
- Florence Brudenell (2006-2008) – In June 2006, Button started going out with model and actress, Florence Brudenell. However, they dated only for 1 and a half years, ending their relationship at the start of 2008. It was claimed that the reason for their split was that Jenson wasn’t prepared to settle down.
- Jessica Michibata (2008-2015) – In 2008, Jenson started going out with a lingerie model, Jessica Michibata. They separated for a brief period in May 2010. It was claimed that they were finding it difficult to cope with the long distance. However, they eventually got back together. In February 2014, he proposed to her and they got married in an intimate wedding ceremony in Hawaii in December 2014. Unfortunately, their marriage didn’t last long and they decided to end it in December 2015.
- Brittny Ward (2016-Present) – After the end of his marriage, Button found solace in his relationship with the model, Brittny Ward. Their relationship was eventually made public in March 2016 after they were spotted on a date in Los Angeles. They got engaged in June 2018.
Physical Statistics
Height
- In feet – 6 feet 0 inches
- In centimeters – 183 cm
- In meters – 1.83 m
Weight
- In Kilograms – 76 kg
- In Pounds – 168 lbs
Body Build
Athletic
Hair Color
Blonde (Natural)
Eye Color
Blue
Sexuality
Straight
Professional Statistics
Best Known For
Being one of the most successful British race car drivers. During the course of his career, he has raced for some of the most prestigious racing companies including McLaren, Renault, Honda, and Brawn.
F1 Match Debut
In 2000, Jenson made his F1 debut in Australia for Williams. He didn’t perform well in the practice as he crashed his car. Also, he qualified 2nd last to the grid. However, he managed to deliver strong performance in the main event and was all set to score a point but the engine of the car failed 11 laps from the finish.
Brand Endorsements
Button has appeared in the TV commercials for Vodafone, Head & Shoulders and Mobil.
Jenson Button Net worth
Jenson Button has an estimated net worth of $150 million dollars as of 2023.
Social Media Profiles
- Facebook – Jenson Button
- Instagram – jensonbutton_22
- Twitter – Jenson Button
Some Lesser Known Facts About Jenson Button
- Jenson wasn’t able to clear his first ever driving test. He failed in the test because he was getting too close to the parked vehicle.
- After his father bought him his first kart, he started karting at the age of 8 at the Clay Pigeon Raceway.
- At the age of 9, he managed to finish in the 1st spot at British Super Prix.
- In 1991, he managed to win all the 34 races of the British Cadet Kart Championship. Later, he managed to win thrice in the British Open Kart Championship.
- In 1997, he emerged as a winner at the Ayrton Senna Memorial Cup. Thus, becoming the youngest driver to win the European Super A Championship.
- At the age of 18, he moved into car racing and soon managed to win the British Formula Ford Championship with Haywood Racing. He followed it up by winning in the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch.
- In 1998, he was given the annual McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver Award. As part of his prize package, he was allowed a test in a McLaren Formula One car by the end of the following year.
- In his debut season as an F1 professional driver, he managed to earn 12 points and finished in the 8th place.
- In November 2009, he announced that he was going to join the McLaren team as he had signed a 3-year deal with the company. As per the contract, he was going to earn £6 million per season.
- In 2011, he signed a contract extension with McLaren before the Japanese Grand Prix. The new deal was worth £85 million.
- In recognition of his achievements, he was awarded the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the Queen’s New Years Honours List in 2010.
- In 2010, he established his charitable organization called The Jenson Button Trust which is tasked with identifying charitable causes and providing financial support to such causes.
- In December 2016, he was awarded an honorary doctorate in engineering by the University of Bath.
- In August 2017, Button took part in the Super GT showpiece Suzuka 1000 km race.
- In December 2017, Button announced he had signed a deal to drive for Honda in the Japanese Super GT series in 2018.
- In April 2018, Button was confirmed as an SMP Racing driver in the LMP1 class of the 2018–19 FIA World Endurance Championship, including the 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans.
