Jenson Button F1 Profile & Career Stats

Jenson Button Biography

Jenson Button signs autographs for fans.

An elder statesman who has captured the heart of the sport, Jenson Button still has a point to prove as he hopes to lead McLaren into a new era of success.

The 2009 world champion looked like he was being edged out of the sport, but a last minute reprieve means he will partner Fernando Alonso this season, as he hopes to have a glorious winter at the end of a topsy-turvy career.

When he first entered the sport back in 2000, much was expected of the then 20-year-old. He had just become the youngest ever driver in the sports history.

However contract disputes, off the track distractions and a series of mediocre cars didn’t allow the Somerset born Englishman to show his undoubted talent.

What many describe as his breakthrough year came in 2004, while at BAR.

Jenson Button driving his Williams FW22 during the 2000 Italian F1 GP

Although that season is largely forgettable, as Michael Schumacher and Ferrari flattened everything in their path, Button provided a fresh sense of optimism by scoring nine podium finishes and coming third in the championship.

Despite being contracted for a return to the experienced team Williams, who he drove for in 2000, Button controversially remained with the Honda powered BAR.

This, rather than anything that happened on the track, dominated British newspaper headlines, which highlights both the magnitude of what was happening, and the poor standard of competition on the track in 2004.

The BAR team wasn't able to keep up with the development speed of the top teams. Unfortunately for Button, the team failed to progress and they slumped back into midfield obscurity under their new guise of Honda.

Jenson Button wins 2006 Hungarian F1 GP

Jenson did show flashes of his quality and took a brilliant maiden victory in the wet conditions of Hungary in 2006 which underlined his star potential.

Button may not have the single lap speed of Lewis Hamilton or Kimi Raikkonen but he has one of the best brains in the business, and is comparable to the great Alain Prost.

Following a dismal 2008 season and the global financial crisis, Honda decided to pull out of F1 and after a couple of mediocre years, there was a real possibility that his Formula 1 career was over.

However, technical director Ross Brawn bought the team, renamed it Brawn GP and inherited the 2009 cars, which were already built. He bought it hoping that this his gamble would pay off. It did, spectacularly.

Jenson Button wins 2009 Australian F1 GP Brawn GP BGP001

The car happened to be much quicker than anything else and Button dominated the opening races, taking six victories out of seven. The Englishman relished the opportunity to drive a championship contending car, and his winning became relentless.

However, Brawn’s lack of financial muscle meant that they couldn’t develop the car as fast as their rivals. Red Bull and McLaren started to win races, and Button’s championship hopes were beginning to look doubtful.

But a late surge of podiums in the final few races saw him win the title in Brazil, in the penultimate race of the season.

Brawn was bought out by Mercedes for the following season, and Button left to partner Lewis Hamilton at McLaren. Despite being a world champion, Button was not expected to compete with his more illustrious team-mate, but two wins from the opening four races showed he meant business.

Jenson Button in action during the Chinese F1 GP

In a five-way title fight, Button faded towards the end of the season as Sebastian Vettel claimed his maiden crown.

In 2011, Button had, arguably, his best ever season in F1. Winning the title may have been out of the question, as Vettel’s Red Bull dominated, but Button won four races, comfortably beat Hamilton over the course of the season, and held off Fernando Alonso to come second in the standings.

Button made a flying start to 2012, with another win in Australia, before poor reliability and poor team decisions hampered his usually excellent consistency. Further wins in Belgium and Brazil helped him to finish fifth in the standings, but just two points behind Hamilton.

Hamilton made the seemingly bold move to move to Mercedes, leaving Button with new team-mate Sergio Pérez. But Hamilton got the better end of the deal as Mercedes competed for wins and McLaren went backwards.

Fernando Alonso leads Jenson Button, McLaren MP4-31 Honda. Brazilian Gp F1/2016

Button failed to score a podium and struggled to ninth in the standings, while things didn’t improve in 2014 as he limped to eighth.

With McLaren desperate to return to the top, it looked likely that Button would be allowed to leave the team as they lined up Fernando Alonso. Alonso did sign, but Button was retained at the last minute.

McLaren's new partnership with Honda turned out into a night mare. The team dropped from 5th to 9th place in the constructors championship. But the McLaren management kept the Honda power unit in 2016 and even said it was a realistic aim of fighting for victories. 2016 wasn't as bad as 2015, but Button wasn't clearly able to score any podiums.

In his last F1 season his best finish was 6th in Austria. He had to retire 6 times. He even had to retire his last Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi. The 15th place in the drivers championship table was the result of his last season.

Button's Formula 1 career was a good story. The distinguished Englishman had a career with it's ups and downs like other long term driver has. But not much drivers scored a drivers title. He attended 16 F1 seasons and drove at 7! different teams and remains one of the most popular drivers in modern F1.

Jenson Button doesn't have his own website anymore.

Jenson Button Helmets

Jenson Button F1 Cars

Jenson Button Championship Results

1× World Championship2009–2009 · Brawn

One title, won in 2009 with Brawn.

• 2009Brawn95 pts11 clear of Sebastian Vettelsealed at 2009 Brazilian F1 GP

Jenson Button F1 Seasons Summary

Year	Team	Engine	GP	1st	2nd	3rd	Pod	Pole	Laps	FL	Avg Pts	Points
2017	McLaren	Honda	1	0	0	0	0	0	57	0	0.00	0
2016	McLaren	Honda	21	0	0	0	0	0	1032	0	1.00	21
2015	McLaren	Honda	18	0	0	0	0	0	928	0	0.89	16
2014	McLaren	Mercedes	19	0	0	1	1	0	1121	0	6.63	126
2013	McLaren	Mercedes	19	0	0	0	0	0	1126	0	3.84	73
2012	McLaren	Mercedes	20	3	3	0	6	1	1106	2	9.40	188
2011	McLaren	Mercedes	19	3	4	5	12	0	1095	3	14.21	270
2010	McLaren	Mercedes	19	2	3	2	7	0	1023	1	11.26	214
2009 🏆	Brawn	Mercedes	17	6	1	2	9	4	944	2	5.59	95
2008	Honda	Honda	18	0	0	0	0	0	936	0	0.17	3
2007	Honda	Honda	17	0	0	0	0	0	778	0	0.35	6
2006	Honda	Honda	18	1	0	2	3	1	971	0	3.11	56
2005	BAR	Honda	16	0	0	2	2	1	871	0	2.31	37
2004	BAR	Honda	18	0	4	6	10	1	991	0	4.72	85
2003	BAR	Honda	15	0	0	0	0	0	785	0	1.13	17
2002	Renault	Renault	17	0	0	0	0	0	862	0	0.82	14
2001	Benetton	Renault	17	0	0	0	0	0	861	0	0.12	2
2000	Williams	BMW	17	0	0	0	0	0	789	0	0.71	12

Latest Jenson Button News

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  1 Sep

  Button urges Alonso to stay a little longer at Aston

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  6 Aug

  On This Day in F1 History: Button's Maiden Victory

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  30 Jun

  Jenson Button Reunited with Title-Winning F1 Car

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  14 May

  F1 Beyond The Grid Legends: Jenson Button's Maiden Win

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  19 Apr

  Button and Brawn: Together Again at Goodwood

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  24 Dec 2025

  When Two F1 World Champions Clashed in WEC

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  22 Sep 2024

  The Most Unexpected Victories in Formula 1 History

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  6 May 2024

  Post-Race Press Conference 2024 Miami F1 Grand Prix

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  29 Jan 2024

  F1 Pundits Tongue-Tied as 'V-CARB' and 'Kick Sauber' Debut

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  13 Sep 2023

  Button's honest thoughts on Lewis and Max's teammates and Lando

Read more Jenson Button News »