He made 306 Formula 1® grand prix starts over an 18-year period between 2000 and 2017, notching up 50 podium finishes, including 15 victories, and in 2009 became the 10th of Britain’s record 11 F1® World Champions.

By any measure, Jenson Button is a true red, white and blue British sporting icon – a national treasure. Yet despite retiring as a professional racing driver last year, he’s not finished with motorsport. Far from it.

Now 46, Button returned to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone this summer in his dual capacity as media pundit for Sky Sports F1’s TV coverage and as an ambassador for the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ Team – a new role he is relishing. “Honestly, it’s about staying connected to the sport in a way that still feels meaningful,” he says. “I’m not there to tell people how to do their jobs; there are some very good people doing that already. But I can offer perspective from having been through it.”

Button experienced the full range during his time in the F1® spotlight, from the soaring highs to the most bitter lows. He says “patience and resilience” always carried him through. “Things don’t always go your way in this sport, and you have to learn how to deal with that,” he says. “How to keep moving forward even when it’s not obvious – that’s something that stays with you.”

But it’s the good times that stand out most for this natural-born optimist. “The championship is the obvious one,” he says when asked what he’s most proud of. “But beyond that, it’s the longevity. Being able to compete at that level for so long.”
Somehow, among those 15 cherished victories, Button never quite managed to land a British GP win. But Silverstone and the occasion remain close to his heart. “I remember going as a kid and just being blown away by the speed of the cars,” he says. “You watch it on TV, but it’s completely different when you’re standing by the circuit, and you feel it.”

Nigel Mansell, whom Button admired as a child, used to say the British crowd gave him an extra second and a half in speed around Silverstone. An exaggeration? Perhaps. But Button says ‘fan power’ is something he understands, too. “You feel it straight away. You come through Maggotts and Becketts, and you can see the grandstands, hear the crowd – it gives you something extra. At the same time, you still have a job to do. You try not to get too caught up in it, but it’s always there in the background.”

Along with its 11 world champions, Britain remains the centre of the F1® world, with eight of the 11 current teams based in the UK – including, of course, Aston Martin Aramco, which works out of its state-of-the-art AMR Technology Campus, situated a stone’s throw from Silverstone’s main entrance.

So why is Britain so dominant in F1®? “A lot of it comes down to the environment,” says Button. “So many teams are based in the UK, you grow up around the sport – it feels accessible. There’s a clear pathway, whether that’s through karting, engineering or junior categories. There’s a huge depth of experience here. People move between teams, ideas get shared, and that raises the overall level. It’s a unique ecosystem.”

After two seasons racing full-time in the World Endurance Championship, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Button no longer makes his living as an active racing driver. But he is already exploring his newfound love of racing classic cars, just for the pleasure of it. “It’s just a different kind of challenge. The cars are less predictable, a bit more raw, and you have to work harder for it,” he says. “I love my classics – although I probably need to add an Aston Martin DB4 GT race car to the collection at some point.”

He’s also looking forward to getting his hands on Aston Martin’s road cars now that he’s a brand ambassador.

“There are a lot of fast cars out there, but not many carry that sense of heritage in the same way,” he says, adding there are a few Aston Martins that have piqued his interest. “I tend to lean towards cars that feel like they’re built for the driver – something you can really enjoy on the right road. I haven’t had the chance to get behind the wheel of Valhalla yet, but I am very excited to do so, given just how driver-focused it is.[b]”

The intensity of his old life in the F1® frontline is behind him, but Button now has time to reflect on all that he experienced. “You’re part of something unique when you are in F1®,” he says. “You don’t always appreciate it in the moment, but looking back, you realise how special it was.”