Ex-F1's Jenson Button to leave Super GT at end of 2019

Button won the Super GT title in 2018 alongside Naoki Yamamoto in what was his debut season, but the pair have had a difficult title defence and lie eighth in the points heading to Motegi.

After competing in the joint racing between the DTM and Super GT at Hockenheim earlier this month, Button said his intention was to "try something different" in 2020.

"Ahead of this weekend's season finale in Motegi, I wanted to take this chance to announce that it will, in fact, be my last race in Super GT," Button wrote on Instagram.

"When I decided to move away from Formula 1, I wanted to find a challenge which would scratch that competitive itch at the highest level and my two seasons in Super GT have certainly done that.

"Not only did I get to go on another journey with Honda, who have been a huge part of my racing career to date, but I also got to team up with [Naoki Yamamoto] who is not only one of the strongest team-mates I've ever had, but also a great guy, and as a team we managed to win the Super GT championship in my rookie year - which is easily one of my proudest achievements.

"Throughout my career, I've always highlighted Japan as a special place to compete because of the incredible fans and their passion for the sport, so to have the chance to compete there throughout the year has been an absolute honour and has produced some wonderful memories.

"I'd like to, therefore, take this chance to thank those fans, my brilliant team-mate Naoki, [and] the whole of Team Kunimitsu, who have this incredibly exciting combination of a relatively young group being led by one of the legends of motorsport in Kunimitsu-San himself.

"They demonstrated unwavering passion and professionalism throughout and are a joy to work with.

"I'd like to also thank the entire Honda family for helping make this another brilliant chapter in my career."

Button will not compete in the Super GT's joint racing with the DTM at Fuji in November and is set to take part in the off-road Baja 1000 classic.

He said last month that he had yet to make a decision on where he would race next.