{"id":605,"date":"2016-11-24T09:38:16","date_gmt":"2016-11-24T14:38:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonmotorsport.com\/?p=605"},"modified":"2016-11-24T09:38:16","modified_gmt":"2016-11-24T14:38:16","slug":"jenson-button-announces-formula-1-retirement-ahead-abu-dhabi-gp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/2016\/11\/24\/jenson-button-announces-formula-1-retirement-ahead-abu-dhabi-gp\/","title":{"rendered":"Jenson Button announces Formula 1 retirement ahead of Abu Dhabi GP"},"content":{"rendered":"

When interviewed this morning ahead of this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix<\/strong>, Jenson Button<\/strong> announced that he will be retiring from Formula 1<\/strong> at the end of this season.<\/p>\n

Jenson Button announces Formula 1 retirement ahead of Abu Dhabi GP<\/h2>\n

Button, 36, currently races for McLaren<\/strong>, however, was expected to be taking a sabbatical in 2017 having the option of returning to the sport in 2018 if either Fernando Alonso<\/strong> or Stoffel Vandoorne<\/strong> were to leave.<\/p>\n

When interviewed, Button said:<\/p>\n

“I go into this weekend thinking it’s going to be my last race. I think that’s the best way<\/em>.”<\/p>\n

“At this moment in time, I don’t want to be racing in F1 beyond this year.<\/em>”<\/p>\n

Since entering Formula 1 in 2000 driving for Williams<\/strong>, Button has started 304 grand prix, winning 15 races, and securing 50 podium finishes. The highlight of Button’s career was his 2009 title campaign when driving for Brawn GP<\/strong>, winning six of the first seven races and finishing in the points at every race apart from the Belgian Grand Prix<\/strong>, leading to the British driver securing the World Drivers Championship<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

For 2017, Button will be acting as the reserve driver for McLaren, carrying out an ambassador role for the team, working in the simulator and doing some promotional work.<\/p>\n

Entering Formula 1 aged 20, the sport has been a large portion of Button’s life, racing for 17 seasons and 7 teams in total.<\/p>\n

When talking about his career, Button said:<\/p>\n

“You get to Formula 1 with many dreams and hopefully you leave the sport with memories – some amazing memories, some life-changing, some good, some bad. To walk away with the world championship is very special, too. I will definitely step away from F1 happy with what I’ve achieved and definitely my life starts now<\/em>.”<\/p>\n

This season also marks the retirement of Williams’ Felipe Massa<\/strong>, with the Brazilian driver also hanging up his racing helmet at the end of the season.<\/p>\n

With both Button and Massa retiring at the end of this year, Formula 1 has lost two truly iconic drivers from the grid at the close of the 2016 season.
\nMain Photo<\/p>\n

\n
Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n