Jenson Button in NASCAR!

Jenson Button has entered into a three-race partnership with Ford and Mobil 1 Racing to drive the No. 15 Ford Mustang fielded by Rick Ware Racing at COTA, the Chicago Street Race and the Indianapolis Road Course. The program was implemented by Stewart-Haas Racing, official Ford team in NASCAR, of which Rick Ware Racing is a satellite entity. Jenson Burton and Tony Stewart co-starred in a Mobil 1 ad in 2013. A decade after their commercial debut, the duo of Button and Stewart are reunited again, this time at the highest level of NASCAR.

Thank you for this opportunity @mobil1racing also thanks to Stewart Haas racing & @RickWareRacing for turning this around so quickly. let the challenge begin!#mobil1 #thejourneyisthereward #nascar #cupseries #15 pic.twitter.com/bzC2m0NPAj

- Jenson Button (@JensonButton) March 10, 2023

World Champion of Formula 1 2009, Button scored 15 victories during his 17 seasons in Formula 1. At 43, he launched a new challenge by joining the Garage 28 project on January 56 aimed at entering a Next Gen NASCAR in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He will be associated with Jimmie Johnson, seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and Mike Rockenfeller, winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Daytona.

Since officially retiring from F1 in 2016 and joining Hendrick Motorsports for the Garage 56 program this winter, Button has never let go of the hoops, winning the 2018 Japanese Super GT in the GT500 class before starting five races in FIA WEC 2018-19 with SMP Racing. From the 24 Hours of Le Mans to the Baja 1000, Button has driven just about everything on the road, with the notable exception of a competing NASCAR sedan. “Obviously, driving a NASCAR Cup Series car is a lot different than what I'm used to,” Button said in the team's press release. It's a lot heavier with a lot less power and basically no downforce. There's that sequential manual gearbox and heel-toe shifting, so a lot to learn in a very short time. »

The challenge, however, is far from frightening the English champion: “I'm just excited by this new challenge, and when I throw myself into something, I'm 100% into it. I'm not just doing it for one-shot fun. I want to be competitive, and I know that to be competitive, it's going to take a little time. This is why I chose to compete in three races to be able to gain strength. »

Jenson Button has it all to discover © Hendrick Motorsports

Button will, however, be able to benefit from the experience acquired at the wheel of the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Garage 56 which he will drive on June 10 and 11 for the centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Button concluded a two-day test program at COTA this week behind the wheel of the Chevrolet. Jordan Taylor, Coach and Development Driver told NASCAR.com that it was a "no-brainer test" as the program works to find the performance it still lacks to compete with GTE Am.

Talyor and Button will also find themselves on the track at COTA since Jordan Taylor will replace the unavailable Chase Elliott on this occasion. The line-up for this race will be exceptional since two former Formula 1 World Champions will be taking the start! Kimi Räikkönen, 1 Formula 2007 world champion, will in fact be at the wheel of the Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet Camaro 91.

This race will mark Räikkönen's second participation following his debut with PROJECT91 at Watkins Glen on August 21, 2022. Unlike the Watkins Glen track, Räikkönen is no stranger to COTA, having raced there eight times during his Formula 1 career. Iceman scored the last of his 21 victories there on October 21, 2018 at the wheel of a Ferrari. “I had a fantastic time in NASCAR,” Räikkönen said. There was a lot to learn in a very short time, it was a big challenge! This time I'll be able to give my best more quickly on a track I know, so the learning curve won't be as steep. I want to have fun, but also do the best we can. »