Jenson Button is one of three drivers scheduled to race for Chevrolet at Le Mans, using a NASCAR-spec Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 as the Garage 56 entry in the twice-around-the-clock summer classic. He’ll be joined in that endeavor by seven-time Cup Series champ Jimmie Johnson and by road racing rock star Mike Rockenfeller, who has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
But first Button, the 2009 Formula One champion is going Cup Series racing at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) at the end of March, joining 2007 F1 champ Kimi Raikkonen and sports car star Jordan Taylor turning left and right on the 3.426-mile, 20-corner track. Button, together with Johnson and Rockenfeller, have been testing the ZL1 at Sebring International Raceway, Daytona International Speedway and at COTA, in anticipation of the Le Mans attack. This race will further indoctrinate the Briton on the ins and outs of driving a Cup Series car in competition.
Button has been racing sports cars since his retirement from F1 after two decades of competition and this outing will showcase his versatility. COTA is the first of three NASCAR Cup Series races he’ll contest during the 2023 season. With support from Mobil 1 synthetic motor oil, Button will race a Rick Ware Racing (RWR) No. 15 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang, with marketing and promotional support from Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), a team fully imbedded with Mobil 1. In addition to racing at COTA, Button will compete in the inaugural street-circuit contest in Chicago July 2nd before racing on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course August 13th.
The winner of 15 Grands Prix, including his dominant, six-victory 2009 championship season, Button left the F1 circus in 2017 and has, since then been racing the Japanese Super GT Series’ GT500 class, where he secured the 2018 championship title. He then proceeded, in 2018-2019 to run a five-race stint in the FIA World Endurance Championship, including racing at Le Mans. He’s even competed in off-road endurance competition, running both the 2019 Mint 400 and Baja 1000.
“I won the world championship with Mobil 1, and 14 of my 15 wins in Formula One were with Mobil 1, as well as winning the Super GT championship with them,” Button confirmed. “We’ve had a really close relationship over the years, and I can’t think of a better partner” for his three 2023 NASCAR Cup Series entries. “Mobil 1 has been a big part of making these NASCAR races happen for me, so I’m very thankful to them for giving me this opportunity. I look forward to working alongside the brand to get the best out of every race weekend.”
Working in conjunction with his technical and financial partner Mobil 1, the company and the driver will focus on delivering exclusive content and uniting driving enthusiasts. They’ll be using activations and experiences at all three events. “This partnership with Jenson intersects two of racing’s most prominent series – NASCAR and F1 – and we’re very excited to be a part of his pursuit for success in NASCAR’s premier division,” said Jei Gort, global motorsports and sponsorships manager, on behalf of Mobil 1. “Through our collaboration, we aim to further celebrate the love of driving and elevate the passion for motorsports.”
Button had 306 career F1 starts; his final race was the 2017 Monaco Grand Prix, where he subbed for Fernando Alonso, who was racing in the 101st Indianapolis 500 the same weekend. Button’s final full-time season was the 2016 campaign.
“The reason I was able to stay in Formula One for so long, was because I always felt I was learning. There was always something new in terms of technologies, or I could still improve my driving or engineering skills within Formula One,” Button explained. “When I got to my 17th year in F1, I felt like I lost that hunger a little bit, because it wasn’t new anymore. There wasn’t something to learn.”
Getting out of that arena gave Button the opportunities to race in a variety of series. “That excited me. I raced Super GT in Japan. I raced at Le Mans. I raced off-road because it was another skill to learn. You put yourself in a slightly vulnerable position, because it’s not your complete skills set, and there’s still more to learn to be as good as the best. I love that challenge of driving new things. It’s slightly out of my comfort zone, and I found that out with the off-road trucks!
“Obviously, racing a Cup car is very different than what I’m used to. It’s a lot heavier with a lot less power and, basically, no downforce. It’s got a sequential gearbox where you need to blip the throttle, so there’s lots of stuff to learn is a very short space of time. But I just get excited about that new challenge,” Button continued, “and when I throw myself into something, I am 100 percent in. I’m not just doing it for fun in some one-off. I want to be competitive, and I know that to be competitive, it’s going to take a bit of time. That’s why doing these three races works very well this season.”
That last statement can raise the eyebrows. Will Button race full-time in NASCAR’s Cup Series in 2024 or is this his time to be learning a new discipline? Starting at a track, COTA, where he’s made five Formula One starts, “I want to feel comfortable in the car knowing that I can get as much out of the car in any situation as other people out on track. The result is the result, and we’ll see what happens. I want to get the confidence to brake as late as I’d like, to carry the speed through the high-speed corners, and to be able to race close – wheel-to-wheel with the pack.”
Button’s NASCAR Cup Series experience begins on Saturday, March 25th at COTA, where he’ll practice and qualify with the balance of the Cup field. The 68-lap race the following day begins at 3:30 EDT, with live coverage on FOX and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
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