2009 Formula 1 world champion and current Honda Super GT driver, Jenson Button, could see his Le Mans debut this year. According to French publication Auto Hebdo, the Brit is currently in talks with SMP Racing and if the deal falls into place, will pilot their BR1 AER alongside former Indycar driver, Mikhail Aleshin and former Formula 1 driver Vitaly Petrov.
Button has had an impressive return to racing with a podium at his most recent outing at Okayama International Circuit with the Raybrig team in the opening round of the Super GT series. This result shows that Button has lost none of his tallent since his F1 retirement.
SMP racing has also had a successful start to the WEC season posting the fastest time of the LMP1 grid at the Prologue test. Combine a talented driver and a competitive team and SMP could be a force to be reckoned with at Le Mans this year. Interestingly enough however, Le Mans would only be his second major 24 hour race. This would come 19 years after his Spa 24 Hours attempt that was ended by a mechanical issue.
If Button joins the SMP line up for Le Mans would mean yet another former F1 name on the grid including Pastor Maldonado, Paul Di Resta, Kamui Kobayashi, Juan Pablo Montoya and Toyota’s new team member (and current McLaren driver), Fernando Alonso.
