Jenson Button to race Porsche 963 in IMSA finale
Jenson Button is getting back behind the wheel of a top flight sportscar. The 2009 F1 World Champion will join Tijmen van mer Helm and Mike Rockenfeller in the number 5 Porsche 963 of JDC-MIller Motorsports for Petit Le Mans on October 11-14.
“I’m very excited to announce that I will be racing at Petit Le Mans this year with 2021 Sebring winners JDC-Miller MotorSports,” Button said.
“The Porsche 963, the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship, and Road Atlanta are all brand new to me so I can’t wait to tackle all three with my teammates for the weekend.”
It will of course be somewhat of a reunion with Rockenfeller, given the two shared driving duties at Le Mans earlier this year in the fan favourite Garage 56 NASCAR Next Gen Camaro run by Hendrick Motorsports. Button has been a part-time driver in NASCAR in general this year, with Rick Ware Racing in the Cup Series.
“Whilst I’m having a lot of fun cutting my teeth in the NASCAR Cup series this year, a prototype with high downforce is definitely more in my comfort zone,” Button added.
“I partnered with Rocky at Le Mans this year and he will be invaluable as he’s fantastic at car/team development. He is also incredibly quick which always helps! I’ll also have the pleasure of working with rookie Tijmen van der Helm who seems to really be gaining speed and confidence through the season so we should have a lot of fun.”
Beyond Button’s decade and a half in F1, he is a proven and varied driver, with a number of sportscar drives on his CV alongside his most recent dalliances with NASCAR. He made his Le Mans debut in 2018 for SMP Racing in a BR Engineering BR1, and mixed his occasional sportscar drives in the 2018 and 2019 season with Super GT. In 2020 he also raced the concluding round of the British GT season at Silverstone.
Button image courtesy of Motorsport Images
Jenson Button
IMSA
Porsche
963
Petit Le Mans
