Jenson Button will come out of retirement to drive three NASCAR races
Former F1 champion Jenson Button is set to come out of retirement to give three NASCAR races a spin, insisting it is a ‘real privilege’ to drive a Cup car
- Button will drive for Rick Ware Racing in a car supported by Stewart-Haas Racing
- The 2009 F1 champion will race in Austin, Texas, Chicago and Indianapolis
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Former F1 champion Jenson Button will come out of retirement this year to give three NASCAR road courses a spin.
Button, who won the 2009 F1 title, will drive for Rick Ware Racing in a car supported by Stewart-Haas Racing with an eye on road courses in Austin, Texas, Chicago and Indianapolis.
The first of the trio is the March 26 EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in Austin.
The 43-year-old also plans to race at the inaugural Grant Park 220 on a brand new downtown Chicago street course July 2. The final of the three is the August 13 Verizon 200 at the Brickyard on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway course.
The England native retired from F1 racing following the 2017 season after competing in the Monaco Grand Prix.
Jenson Button will come out of retirement this year to give three NASCAR road courses a spin
The 43-year-old Brit won the 2009 F1 title before retiring following the 2017 season
He did race on the Japanese Super GT Series, where he won the 2018 championship in the GT500 class, and also has participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans since retiring.
When asked why he was coming out of retirement to give NASCAR a spin, Button told Fox Sports: ‘Why not?’
‘This is so exciting for me. I’ve had the opportunity to race in some great categories around the world. … NASCAR is definitely something I’ve been interested in for a long time.
‘Did I ever think I would be driving a Cup car? Realistically not. I really wanted to, but I know how difficult it is to get into this category. It’s a real privilege for me.’
The COTA race on March 26 will feature another former F1 champion in Kimi Raikkonen, who will drive a third car for Trackhouse Racing.
The lineup also will include road-racing star Jordan Taylor, who will substitute for the injured Chase Elliott, who broke his leg.
Meanwhile, Button, seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and road-course star Mike Rockenfeller are the drivers for the the Hendrick Motorsports/NASCAR ‘Garage 56’ Next Gen car entry at Le Mans in June. Taylor will serve as driver-coach and backup driver.
Button will be joined by another former F1 champion in Kimi Raikkonen at the COTA race
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