F1 champion Button becomes Extreme E team owner and driver
Jenson Button has become the third Formula One World Champion to become involved in the all new, all-electric Extreme E series, and the 2009 F1 title winner will not only own a team, but will also be one of the team’s two drivers.
The 15-time Grand Prix winner quit the sport in 2017 and since then the Briton has successfully tried his hand at many other disciplines and championships including the FIA World Endurance Championship, the Le Mans 24 Hours, British GT and Super GT, which he won with Team Kunimitsu in 2018.
Button’s JBXE outfit is the tenth team to be taking part in Extreme E, joining Chip Ganassi Racing and Andretti United, ABT CUPRA XE and Rosberg Xtreme Racing, Team TECHEETAH, Hispano Suiza Xite Energy Team and ACCIONA | Sainz XE Team, and fellow British teams Veloce Racing, and X44.
Starting April 2021, Extreme E will see electric SUVs competing in extreme environments around the world which have already been damaged or affected by climate and environmental issues. The five-race global voyage highlights the impact of climate change and human interference in some of the world’s most remote locations, beginning on April 3rd with the Desert X Prix, in Al-'Ula, Saudi Arabia, which is known for its arid and rocky terrain. It will be followed in 2021 by the Ocean X Prix in Senegal (May 29th-30th), the Arctic X Prix in Greenland (August 28th-29th), the Amazon X Prix in Brazil (October 23rd-24th), and the Glacier X Prix in Argentina (December 11th-12th).
Button’s former McLaren team-mate and seven-time F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton has entered his own team in the form of X44, as has his former title rival and Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg. Whilst Button will be the only one out of the three former world champions actually competing in the new series, the high profile rivalry will no doubt be on everyone’s minds.
"JBXE has been a long time coming and I'm both delighted and proud to announce its formation and entry into the inaugural Extreme E Championship,” stated Button. “In Extreme E they've created a product that will offer first class racing and entertainment to the fans, but also serves to highlight the impact of climate change. Whilst we will of course compete to win on track, as a collective we will also work to maximise awareness whilst racing in places that have been damaged or affected by climate change over the years.
“On track I’m delighted to say there are some world class opponents to go wheel-to-wheel with and Extreme E is a world-first which sees true equality with male and female drivers both as teammates and as opponents out on track”.
Extreme E is now home to 10 World Champions, including Button’s fellow Formula One World Champion team owners Hamilton and Rosberg, and in its drivers Extreme E has three World Rallycross Champions, Johan Kristoffersson, Timmy Hansen and Mattias Ekström, two World Rally Champions, Sébastien Loeb and Carlos Sainz, a Women’s Trial World Champion Laia Sanz and Pro-4 World Champion Kyle LeDuc. They collectively hold over 40 World Championship titles. In addition to this list, Jamie Chadwick is the reigning W Series Champion, and Molly Taylor is a former Australian Rally Champion.
The announcement of Button’s team-mate will be made soon. Check @electrica_live for updates.