Button switches from Williams to Aston Martin in F1 team ambassador role

Aston Martin has signed 2009 Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button as its team ambassador on a multi-year deal.

Button previously was an ambassador with additional advisor and heritage driver roles for Williams from 2021 to 2025, having made his F1 debut with the team in 2000.

The Briton never raced for the Silverstone-based outfit formerly known as Jordan and Force India, but joining Aston Martin makes sense as it has effectively become a Honda works team.

Button raced Honda-powered machinery during most of his F1 career, namely at the eponymous team – previously known as BAR – as well as McLaren.

He took 142 grand prix starts with Honda – far more than anyone else, including Ayrton Senna’s 96 races – and gave the brand victory in the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix as a full-fledged constructor. Button went on to win the 2018 Super GT title, again for Honda.

Jenson Button, Honda RA106, 1st position, takes the chequered flag for his first Grand Prix Victory

Photo by: Lorenzo Bellanca / Motorsport Images

The 46-year-old's new role will entail supporting Aston Martin’s “media, partner and commercial” F1 activities, with the team hailing his ‘credibility, global recognition, storytelling, perspective and passion’.

“Joining Aston Martin during such a transformative time in the team and the sport’s history is really exciting for me,” Button said.

“Honda’s new works partnership with the team was a huge draw and I look forward to bringing my years of experience working with them to my new role as ambassador. The 2026 season is going to be fascinating and being part of such an ambitious team is a real opportunity. I can’t wait for Melbourne!”

Button retired from professional racing following the 2025 World Endurance Championship, which he contested with the Cadillac Team Jota outfit, as he wished to focus on historic outings.

“If you want to race in endurance you have got to be in it the whole time,” he explained last September. “You need to have learned what is happening with the car, the systems. Every time I get in the car there is something different and new learning again. 

“When you jump in when you are 44 years of age, it definitely takes you longer than when you are in your 20s.”