Jenson Button has spent his life chasing lap-times – one World Championship, 15 F1 race wins, and 306 Grands Prix. Now, he's slowing down just long enough to write about everything around him. Straight down the pen barrel, welcome to Jenson's Journal. In this first entry, he puts pen to paper about Japan, Honda, Adrian Newey, F1's new regs, Fernando Alonso (and their matching back tattoos), and a new chapter with Aston Martin.
I keep getting asked the same question.
Why Aston Martin?
Honestly, it’s pretty simple.
When you grow up around cars and motorsport, there are certain names that always mean something. And Aston Martin is one of them. I've loved the cars for as long as I can remember.
I was born in the 1980s, but you look back at the DB4 and DB5 in the 1960s, how beautiful they were and how that's continued right through to today – that combination of performance and style in a way that feels timeless.
Aston Martin has always had a special place in my heart. And I think that's true for almost anyone.
But what really excites me about working with Aston Martin Aramco is the people. There are a lot of talented people here and a real belief about where this team is heading. Sure, the start to the season hasn't been easy, but that's Formula One – it's so competitive. In this sport, meaningful progress is always built over time.
This year is particularly interesting because we're stepping into another new technical era. But some things never change: Formula One is still the pinnacle of motorsport. Nothing really compares to the feeling of driving an F1 car: the power, the braking, the way the car moves underneath you when you're right on the limit. It never gets old.
These cars are out-of-this-world fast.
But the way these cars work is evolving. The power units now behave quite differently to what drivers have been used to. In the past, you'd exit a corner and know exactly how much power you had. Now, it depends on things like brake pressure in the previous corner and how the hybrid system deploys energy. It means drivers need to think on their feet more than ever. Those who can do this well are going to stand out for the right reasons – and those who can't can't are going to stand out for the wrong ones.
I'd love to drive one of these new-generation cars, especially one designed by Adrian Newey. I’ve raced against a lot of his cars over the years and always wondered what it would be like to work with him. I guess you could say I'm a little bit jealous of Lance and Fernando in this respect.
Seeing Adrian operate up close is fascinating. He's very old school – notebook in hand, sketching ideas on a drawing board – but that's part of what makes him such a master. He really is.
And yes, I may have tried to sneak a peek at his notebook... he noticed.
I really would jump at the chance to drive one of Adrian's cars. A demo run perhaps? But 24 races in a season... I'm too old for that.
Fernando though...
I raced alongside him for a couple of years, and although they weren't the easiest years in the sport for both of us, the one thing I had, the one true benchmark, if you like, was Fernando as my team-mate. Trying to go out there and beat someone like Fernando in equal machinery was a real challenge – and I loved that challenge. Seeing his work ethic, but also how he had fun out of the car – he's a really good character. 10 years later, none of that has changed about Fernando.
And now we share something quieter: Japanese-inspired tattoos! He has a samurai on his back; I have a dragon with Japanese calligraphy running through it. A small connection, but one that makes me smile.
Japan has been a big part of my career, mainly through my relationship with Honda, which is full of so many highs and memories that I will never forget. I started working with them back in 2003, and we have shared some amazing moments together, including my first Grand Prix win in 2006 – their first F1 win since the '60s as a manufacturer. I raced with Honda power units in 2015 and '16, and later in my career, I worked with them again, racing in Japan in Super GT and at Daytona with Acura.
You won't find people more passionate about racing, and they will be doing everything they can right now to improve the competitiveness of the power unit for the AMR26.
Japan is definitely a happy place for me. It's kind of like my second home.
Tokyo is one of my favourite cities anywhere in the world. The food is incredible – not just Japanese food but everything. They do it better than anyone else; the quality of the ingredients there is extraordinary. I love trying out new things in Japan and going to different types of restaurants, but then you head out into the countryside and it's just beautiful. The culture is very different from what we’re used to in Europe, and I think that's part of why I love it so much. It's a very polite nation. You're made to feel very welcome.
And then there are the fans.
Japanese fans are some of the most knowledgeable in motorsport – it's the minute details they understand. They find out and remember details about my races, my career, and even my private life! So many times in my career, I've had Japanese fans mention things that I'm surprised they even know about.
They're very passionate. They love this sport. Their enthusiasm is amazing, but they're also incredibly respectful.
One memory that always sticks with me is winning the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka in 2011. By the time I'd celebrated and done all my debriefs after the race, it was dark, but the grandstands were still full of fans watching a replay of the race on the big screens around the circuit.
Five hours later – and they were still there.
That tells you everything about their passion for the sport. Dedication like that sticks with you.
I can't wait to go back.
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