Jenson Button: The driver says he will end his professional racing career next weekend

The British driver said his decision was not difficult because he did not have the time to commit to another season in the World Endurance Championship, especially with a young family.

“I’ve really enjoyed my time with Jota in the WEC but my life has become very busy and it’s not fair to the team or me to go into 2026 thinking I’ll have enough time for that,” Button said.

He added: “My children are four and six years old and you have been away for a week and you miss a lot, and you will not be able to come back this time.”

“I feel like I’ve missed a lot the last couple of years, which is good because I knew it would happen, but I’m not ready to do it again for another season.”

While Button is leaving the world of professional racing, he still aims to compete for fun in his classic cars when he can “pick and choose” what he does.

“I have classic cars that I like to race and this is exciting for me because it’s mine – a car I own – and I love the mechanical aspect,” he said.

“It’s completely different to the cars I race in WEC and F1, you’re really connected to it which I like, as I have to move with my feet and legs, change gears correctly, without any aero, it’s all mechanical.”