Jenson Button to renew rivalry with Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg in Extreme E

Jenson Button

Button to renew rivalry with Hamilton and Rosberg in Extreme E

Briton joins Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg in new series

Ian Parkes

Monday 25 January 2021 08:52

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Jenson Button has followed fellow Formula 1 champions Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg into the new all-electric Extreme E racing series.

Hamilton and Rosberg both own teams in Extreme E, which aims to bring attention to the effects of climate change by racing at remote environments.

Button, who on Friday was announced by Williams as a special advisor on a multi-year contract, is to go one step further than Hamilton and Roberg by becoming an owner/driver with his team JBXE.

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"JBXE has been a long time coming and I'm both delighted and proud to announce its formation and entry into the inaugural Extreme E Championship," said Button, whose car sports the white, black and yellow colours from his 2009 title-winning Brawn GP.

"I caught the off-road bug a few years back which led to me entering my own team in a few races including the Mint 400 and even the Baja 1000 and I absolutely loved it!

"It was around the same time I first heard about the plans for Extreme E which I've followed with great interest and what Alejandro Agag, Ali Russell and the team have managed to create is nothing short of incredible.

“In Extreme E they've created a product that will offer first-class racing and entertainment to the fans, but also serves to highlight the impact of climate change.

"Whilst we will, of course, compete to win on track, as a collective we will also work to maximise awareness whilst racing in places that have been damaged or affected by climate change over the years.

"Alongside the awareness piece, Extreme E themselves are committing legacy initiatives at each destination which help protect already damaged ecosystems impacted by climate change.

“On track, I’m delighted to say there are some world-class opponents to go wheel-to-wheel with and Extreme E is a world-first which sees true equality with male and female drivers both as team-mates and as opponents out on track.

It is the latest venture for Button since retiring from F1 after previously competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship, Le Mans, British GT and Super GT, which he won with Team Kunimitsu in 2018.

Alejandro Agag, founder and CEO of Extreme E, said: “I’m thrilled to welcome another major name in the world of motorsport in Jenson Button.

"He is one of the most popular drivers in the business and Extreme E will give him the opportunity to live out one of his long-held passions, to compete at the highest level in off-road racing.

“Jenson, alongside his peers, will give further weight to our mission to raise awareness of the global climate crisis, while doing what we love – racing."

Extreme E, starting in April 2021, will see electric SUVs compete in extreme environments around the world which have already been damaged or affected by climate and environmental issues.

The five-race global voyage highlights the impact of climate change and human interference in some of the world’s most remote locations and promotes the adoption of electric vehicles in the quest for a lower-carbon future for the planet.