Jenson Button Makes a Major Return to Formula 1 — But in an Exciting New Capacity with Aston Martin
Jenson Button, the 2009 Formula One World Champion and one of the sport’s most popular modern-era drivers, is back in the Formula 1 world — not as a driver behind the wheel, but in a fresh and highly visible off-track role. After stepping away from active competition at the end of his recent motorsport commitments in the World Endurance Championship, Button has quickly found a new way to reconnect with the Formula 1 paddock by joining the Aston Martin Formula 1 team as a Team Ambassador under a multi-year agreement.
Button’s return comes at a very interesting time for both Aston Martin and the broader Formula 1 landscape. The sport is on the verge of entering an important new era marked by sweeping technical changes, including new power unit and chassis regulations that are set to come into effect for the 2026 season. These changes represent one of the most significant rule transformations in modern F1 history, and they form part of a bold new strategic direction that several teams — including Aston Martin — are pursuing. In this context, Button’s appointment reflects not just a symbolic return, but a carefully considered choice by the team to bring in a respected and experienced figure to help guide their profile and outreach as they navigate this transition.
In his new role as Team Ambassador, Button will not be racing — that much is clear. Instead, his responsibilities will focus on representing the team at significant global events, supporting media engagements, helping with partner activities, and generally being a public face and advocate for Aston Martin’s Formula 1 program. While this position is primarily outward-facing, it also benefits the team internally by providing access to one of F1’s most accomplished champions, somebody who has spent years racing at the highest level and who understands both the history and future of the sport.
Button himself has expressed genuine enthusiasm about the new chapter. According to his public comments shared after the announcement, he finds the timing of the move particularly appealing given the major changes that F1 is about to undergo. He remarks that joining Aston Martin “during such a transformative time in the team and the sport’s history” is exciting and that he is especially drawn to the team’s ambition and growth potential. He also highlights that Aston Martin’s newly announced long-term partnership with Honda played a key role in his decision — a connection that resonates deeply with him because Honda was central to many pivotal moments in his own racing career.
Honda’s involvement with Aston Martin has been a major part of the team’s vision for 2026 and beyond. The Japanese manufacturer will operate as a works partner, joining forces with Aston Martin as part of a multi-party collaboration that also includes sponsorship and commercial support from entities like Aramco and Valvoline. For Button, this partnership is particularly meaningful, because it mirrors his early successes with Honda as a driver. His first Formula 1 victory — a breakthrough milestone — was achieved in a Honda-powered car at the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2006, and he went on to win the 2009 World Championship during a season where Honda had a deep influence on the team’s performance. This long-standing association with Honda gives Button a unique perspective that he can now bring to his ambassadorial role.
In addition to the technical and historical significance behind his appointment, the move also reconnects Button with some familiar faces in Formula 1. One of these is Fernando Alonso, the two-time World Champion who was Button’s teammate during the 2015 and 2016 seasons at McLaren. Alonso is now one of the lead drivers for Aston Martin, and although Button and Alonso will not share a cockpit, their renewed association under the same team banner adds extra interest and continuity for fans who remember their past partnership.
Before this role, Button’s post-F1 career had taken several different directions. After retiring from full-time Formula 1 competition, he continued racing in other high-level categories such as Super GT in Japan and the World Endurance Championship, where he competed in top-class racing cars. He also stayed connected to Formula 1 through media work and previous ambassadorial duties — including a stint supporting Williams — showing that even after leaving the cockpit, he has remained very much a part of the sport’s fabric.
The transition to an ambassadorial role with Aston Martin gives Button a platform to use his experience and personality in new ways. Rather than focusing on engineering feedback or driver coaching, his work will center on communication, promotion, and outreach. As Formula 1 continues to grow globally, having a well-known former champion like Button representing the team can strengthen relationships with fans, sponsors, partners, and broader audiences. His role will likely involve speaking at events, attending promotional functions around the world, and helping the media tell Aston Martin’s story as the team pushes forward with its ambitious goals for the coming years.
For Aston Martin, Button’s presence brings both credibility and visibility. As a world champion with a long career spanning several teams, manufacturers, and eras of technical change, Button offers a mix of authenticity and broad appeal. The team’s leadership has emphasized that they view his appointment as an important strategic addition during a period of major transformation — not just for their own organization but for the sport as a whole. They see in him someone who can bridge the gap between the technical aspects of modern Formula 1 and the fans and commercial partners who follow the sport around the world.
In summary, Jenson Button’s return to Formula 1 in a new ambassadorial capacity with Aston Martin represents a meaningful and multi-layered development. It brings him back into the heart of the sport during an era of major evolution, reconnects him with a partner brand that was instrumental in his success, and positions him as a global voice for one of the most ambitious teams on the grid as they prepare for an exciting new chapter in Formula 1 history.
