George Russell and former F1-driver Jenson Button — Photo: © LAT Images

F1 Legends

F1 champion makes dream car admission in major sporting snub

There is one car in particular he has his eye on

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Tuesday 9 January 2024 13:57

2009 Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button has revealed that it was hypercars - not F1 cars - which he dreamed about driving as a child, admitting that the latter is not as 'technically advanced'.

The Brit has recently announced that he will be driving in the premier hypercar class of the World Endurance Championship, a stage that includes the historic 24 Hours of Le Mans race.

Having raced in Formula 1 for 17 full seasons winning 15 grands prix, Button decided to retire from the sport at the end of 2016, although he did return for the Monaco Grand Prix in 2017.

Article continues under video

Since then, the McLaren legend has gone on to race in multiple different motorsport series, including SuperGT and NASCAR. He will race a full season once more in 2024, taking part in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) at the age of 44.

Jenson Button won the 2009 Formula 1 world championship with the Brawn GP team

Jenson Button has recently established himself as a pundit on Sky Sports' F1 coverage

Jenson Button will take part in the World Endurance Championship in 2024

Button's dream race car

Now, Button has revealed that he prefers the technical nuances of a hypercar, compared to an F1 car.

“An F1 car, for example, the technology is through the roof and it's the pinnacle of aerodynamics," he told the WEC's official website.

"But they’re not as technically advanced as a hypercar - an LMDh car has 38 pages explaining just what the steering wheel does! There are so many switches, you can adjust many different things for the same issue. There's a lot to learn from a drivers’ point of view.

"Obviously the driving is the same but there's so much more you can adjust within the car to help an issue that you have on track – it’s staggering the amount of stuff and it blows your mind. That takes a while to get used to.

When asked whether he still feels the excitement of getting into a racing car, the 2009 world champion proclaimed: “Yes! It's still the same as when I first drove a kart when I was eight-years-old.

"There’s just a bit more going on but it becomes second nature when you really know the systems.

"I feel that I'm not quite there yet. Driving is the bit that we all love and you still control the car with your feet, hands and your bum in terms of feeling - that hasn't changed.

"And I have to say the hypercars are the coolest looking cars ever - you know if I drew a car when I was a kid, it would have been a hypercar!”

McLaren Jenson Button 24 Hours of Le Mans World Endurance Championship