Jenson Button Makes Full Time Return in Super GT for 2018

[Paul Jeffrey]

2009 Formula One World Champion Jenson Button continues his Honda relationship with a full factory drive in the 2018 Japanese SuperGT series next season.

British former Formula One World Champion and recently retired McLaren Honda driver Button has long been interested in continuing his career outside of Formula One, having spent time behind the wheel of both a World Rallycross car and also his recent Suzuka 1000KM Japanese GT race, an event where the racing appetite has seemingly been rekindled for the Frome Flyer, leading to a contract to contest the full 2018 Super GT series on board the works Honda team.

"It's been a dream for the last couple of years, I love the category. I did one race in Suzuka this year, and it got me very excited" Said Button at the Honda Thanks Day earlier this weekend.

"I'm very excited about the new season. There's a lot of testing to be done to feel comfortable and hopefully improve the package and go out next year and be competitive."​

At present no official announcement has been forthcoming from Button or Honda as to which team the British driver will be racing with next season, nor is it known who will partner the 39-year-old Englishman in his new category.

Although coming with considerable racing pedigree thanks to his 16 years in the sport, Button will find himself racing in a closed cockpit endurance environment for the first time next year when begins his Super GT adventure, and with the Japanese brand somewhat behind in terms of overall pace in comparison to its rivals, it will be by no means an easy transition for the likeable British star.

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Are you pleased to see Button return to active racing competition in 2018? Can the Brit be competitive in the new series? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

[FeltHat]

need the series in raceroom

 

[Paul Jeffrey]

need the series in raceroom

Could not agree more!

 

[Jockey]

Is the super GT featured as licensed content in any game? (it doesn't matter if it's sim or not)

 

[FeltHat]

Is the super GT featured as licensed content in any game? (it doesn't matter if it's sim or not)

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2...a-new-arcade-racing-game-and-it-looks-amazing
and bunch of others, google "super gt game"

 

[Andrew Harper]

Is the super GT featured as licensed content in any game? (it doesn't matter if it's sim or not)

The cars used to appear in the Gran Turismo Series, otherwise the nearest I can get now is the Super GT mod for GTR2. Admittedly the cars are "old" but they are pretty good.

 

[Diogo Goetz Brand]

I see a spectacle case there. Was he mandated to wear lenses in F1 to save weight?
I've never seen Jenson wearing glasses.

Edit: I just realized that's probably for sunglasses.
Moving on...

 

[shimon.ifraimov]

nice :]

 

[aphidgod]

Good call, Jenson.

 

[Helmut Skrdla]

Interesting side fact I notice: He's still using his F1 helmet. Would have thought that helmets get changed just as much as overalls.

 

[Nevini]

Nice move Jenson, hope to watch the season as this will be way more fascinating than the absolute boring spectacle F1 has become ;-)

 

[Kenny Paton]

Nice to see Jensen back on track for a full series.

nearest I can get now is the Super GT mod for GTR2. Admittedly the cars are "old" but they are pretty good.

I agree it is a very good mod and of course GTR2 has night and rain plus the save feature.
Now if only we could get a decent Motegi the series would be complete.

 

[quakeguy]

Good for him and if it's bringing in more interest toward the series, good for everyone. And yes, I couldn't agree more: we need more Super GT in simracing

 

[Raikku]

Heikki will beat Jenson.

 

[Alex Townsend]

Interesting side fact I notice: He's still using his F1 helmet. Would have thought that helmets get changed just as much as overalls.

Well it's still his helmet and still his design. But like when we were karting and a few of the guys moved on to single seater or radicals, they still had the same design and same helmets in most cases

Although Johnny Walker and Mobil 1 may have something to say about it, unless they directly sponsor him.
Also the McLaren visor strip would have to go too...

 

[@apocapollo]

Isn't he still on contract for McLaren in some capacity this season? That's probably why he still has that helmet. Recall Carlos Sainz wore a Red Bull helmet after he was swapped into the Renault.

 

[Andrew Harper]

Isn't he still on contract for McLaren in some capacity this season?

Can't remember the exact date but I think his contract finished at the last race of the F1 calendar.

Only because I remember seeing articles from McLaren wishing him all the best, etc.

With regards to the helmet design, this was the helmet he wore when he did the one off race earlier in the year (and he was still attached to McLaren F1). I would imagine it will change for next year

 

[Andrew Harper]

I agree it is a very good mod and of course GTR2 has night and rain plus the save feature.

Yes it is indeed a great mod and even though the cars are older generation, you could argue it's from the golden era of Super GT, when you had GT1 cars in the mix as well.

....and being a rotary engine fan I just have to drive the RE Amemiya car!

Thinking about doing this livery on a P2 URD car for a bit of fun, just a question of finding all the sponsor logos...

 

[Kenny Paton]

Yes it is indeed a great mod and even though the cars are older generation, you could argue it's from the golden era of Super GT, when you had GT1 cars in the mix as well.

Agreed, it's like the Super Touring mod in Race 07 great memories of when these series were at their greatest.
Or maybe I just view them through rose tinted specs

 

[PaulH]

Now this is a series that would be great in any Sim .
Never mind, we have Formula E to fall back on