F1 champion reconsiders motorsport retirement with comeback desire

Jenson Button officially hung up his helmet after the 8 Hours of Bahrain in November last year, bringing to a close a glorious career spanning Formula 1, Super GT and the World Endurance Championship.

Yet, barely six months into retirement, the 2009 F1 champion appears to be on the brink of a possible U-turn.

"I'd love to drive the Aston Martin Valkyrie around Le Mans one day," said Button, speaking in his Jenson's Journal column on the Aston Martin website. "Perhaps we can make it happen. It would be my chance to finally drive an Adrian Newey-designed car."

Despite 306 grand prix starts, 15 grand prix victories and his drivers' title, Button never raced in machinery crafted by the sport's most celebrated designer.

Now, with Button serving as a team ambassador with Aston Martin, a natural pathway exists.

The Valkyrie AMR-LMH, Newey's brainchild originally conceived at Red Bull Advanced Technologies, is actively competing in this year's WEC Hypercar class with The Heart of Racing. There is no seat waiting for Button, but his proximity to the team makes the idea a strong possibility.

Button's Le Mans ambitions sit within the context of motorsport's Triple Crown - winning the Monaco Grand Prix, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Indianapolis 500. Only Graham Hill has ever completed it.

Button won in Monaco in 2009, but Le Mans has proved elusive across four starts. He retired on debut with SMP Racing in 2018, drove the Garage 56 NASCAR entry in 2023, finished ninth with Hertz Team Jota in 2024, and seventh with Cadillac Hertz Team Jota last year.

"I've had a couple of attempts at Le Mans, but winning there hasn't quite happened," he said.

As for Indianapolis, he was straight to the point: "I've got huge respect for those drivers, but that's not for me."

Button is, however, more optimistic about his Aston Martin 'team-mate' Fernando Alonso, who has already won Monaco twice and Le Mans twice with Toyota.

"Fernando probably has the best shot of anyone at completing the Triple Crown," said Button. "He's already won Monaco and Le Mans, and he's come close at Indy, having led there. If he wants another go at it, he absolutely has a chance."

Alonso led 27 laps at Indianapolis in 2017 before a Honda engine failure ended his race. He then failed to qualify in 2019 and finished 21st in 2020.