F1 champion opens up on 'tough' days away from the track

Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 Legends

F1 champion opens up on 'tough' days away from the track

Jenson Button has been discussing the challenges of fatherhood

Kevin McKenna

Wednesday 27 August 2025 10:58

Former F1 world champion Jenson Button has opened up on how he used to cope with 'tough' days away from the track.

The Brit has spent more than two decades battling it out in the world of motorsport, but recently announced that he will be stepping away from racing duties to spend more time with his family.

Button and wife Britney have two children together - Hendrix and Lenny - and the 45-year-old is looking forward to the next chapter after admitting he has found it difficult to strike the right balance between his personal and professional life.

Article continues under video

"The first six months weren’t easy for me," he told Hello magazine. "I loved Hendrix to bits - I didn’t want to put him down - but there are so many days that go by, and it’s just monotonous and it’s tough.

"I'm so proud of Brittny for being an amazing mum and helping me become a better dad. When you're racing as a driver in F1, you’re very selfish; you have to be.

"And that shift from being the most selfish person you can be, to having a family it’s tricky.

"With how open Brittny is, it’s been very useful to talk about things that are an issue. Being British, especially a British guy, we’re not very good at that, so having an American wife has definitely opened my eyes.

"It helped me through those days that were a little bit more difficult."

Jenson Button spent 18 years competing in F1 for the likes of Williams, Brawn and McLaren

Button's stellar career in numbers

Button competed in over 300 F1 grands prix throughout a stellar career in the sport, representing the likes of Williams, Brawn - with whom he was crowned champion in 2009 - and McLaren, where he was team-mates with Lewis Hamilton.

He tasted race victory on no less than 15 occasions and racked up a half century of podium appearances over 18 years in the sport.

Button's love of racing saw him explore opportunities in a variety of other racing series, winning the Super GT - GT500 championship in 2018 and impressing in both the World Endurance Championship and IMSA Sportscar Championship.

He has also made four appearances in the showpiece event of the former's racing calendar: the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans.

F1 HEADLINES: Russell reaches desperation as star driver linked with SHOCK Red Bull transfer