F1 champion retires after sudden announcement - 'I've done everything I wanted to do'

Jenson Button retired from motorsport on Sunday after finishing 16th for Cadillac at the 8 Hours of Bahrain race. The 2009 Formula One world champion announced in the week leading up to the World Endurance Championship's season finale that he would be stepping away from the sport.

Button clocked up 15 Grand Prix victories, 50 podiums and eight pole positions during his iconic F1 career before retiring from the series in 2016 to explore other motorsport categories. Since then, the 45-year-old has participated in WEC, Super GT, and has even made appearances in IMSA and the NASCAR Cup Series.

The popular Brit has also retained a role within the F1 paddock, working as a senior advisor for Williams and offering perspective on the sport as a pundit, working alongside fellow world champions Nico Rosberg, Jacques Villeneuve and, until recently, Damon Hill on Sky Sports F1.

"I have no regrets at all," Button said after his final race. "I've done everything I wanted to do in my career and more. It's the right time to stop. Racing takes a lot of commitment - travel, preparation, the mental load - and I want to spend that energy elsewhere now.

"My kids are growing up fast, and I don't want to miss those moments. I don't feel like I've left anything on the table. I'm content with what I've achieved."

Button even described his final WEC experience as 'more emotional' than his retirement from F1. The Somerset-born racer quit F1 at the end of the 2016 campaign, but did make another one-off appearance at the Monaco Grand Prix in 2017, filling in for Fernando Alonso as he attempted the Indianapolis 500.

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"This final race was very emotional," he confessed in an interview with Rolex. "I've had a very long career in professional racing, and I'm still enjoying it and happy that I'm still able to give it my all and be competitive - even at 45 years old.

"But life has become too busy. When I retired from Formula 1, it was a different feeling; it was excitement because I knew there were lots of other motorsport categories that I had a chance to compete in. This moment was more emotional, it was sadder, but also great as I'm able to reflect."

While Button's next steps are yet to be confirmed, the Brit did reveal that he plans to continue taking part in classic car races here and there, and it is expected that he will remain part of Sky Sports F1's punditry line-up in 2026.