Formula One driver Jenson Button shares with his life, on and off-track
At the age of 32, Jenson Button appears to have the world at his feet. As one of Formula One’s most bankable names and one of the sport’s best-paid personalities, the McLaren driver has a string of corporate sponsorships, palatial homes and luxury sports cars to his name. Not to mention a bombshell girlfriend in the form of Japanese lingerie model Jessica Michibata. Despite the trappings of success, Button cuts a refreshingly down-to-earth figure.
At a Hugo Boss event held during the Grand Prix weekend in Singapore to celebrate the brand’s 30-year partnership with McLaren, the Briton was a picture of cool composure amid the uproarious fanfare. He reveals that the Marina Bay street circuit is one of the most physically challenging for the drivers, the length of the race (a full two hours), the bumpy streets and the humidity contributing to its difficulty.
In a sport as intense and competitive as F1, it’s difficult to form strong alliances, but Button says he counts on a close network of friends whom he has known for “20-odd years” for support. “I think you need people you know around you to keep you positive, and I don’t mean the ones that tell you you’re great, but those that remind you of the good times and what you’ve achieved,” he says.
Button was thrown into the cut and thrust of competition at the age of eight when his father, John, a rally-cross champion in the 1970s, entered his son in go-kart races. Button competed in and won a series of championships at the national level, and by 2000 had made the leap into the glamorous world of F1. Looking back, Button says his experience has given him an edge over his competitors. “You really need to learn your race craft when you’re young. That’s something very important. You learn so much when you’re eight; you take everything in.”
The fact that he has only won one World Championship (in 2009, with the now-defunct Brawn GP team) hasn’t deterred Button one bit. He recently heard the saying “perfection is the aim, excellence will be tolerated,” a mantra by which he now lives.
Button says, “Winning the championship is obviously the main aim, but it’s over a long period. And once you’ve won it, then what? Race wins are very different, because you’re living in the moment. When you win it, the emotion and adrenalin are still pumping through your veins, so it’s a very special moment that you enjoy with the whole team.”
While his star continues to shine brightly on the track, Button is realistic when talk turns to his retirement. He plans to put his racing experience and expertise to good use once he hangs up his helmet by managing and mentoring younger drivers. Spoken like a true champion, he says, “I’ve got a lot to give.”
The 2012 season just got under way with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne last weekend, which Button won, and will be followed by the Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix in Kuala Lumpur on March 25 and the UBS Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai on April 15.
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