Jenson Button has opened up about the ‘tough’ reality of fatherhood as he vows to dedicate the rest of his life to his family following a ‘very selfish career’.
The British Formula 1 driver, 45, was joined by his wife Brittny Ward, 35, for a candid interview for Hello! Magazine.
The world champion, who has been based in California for the past decade, announced his intention to step away from full-time racing to spend more time with his family in July.
‘I’ve had a great career. I’m still healthy, and there are so many things I still want to do, but I feel I’ve got the balance wrong,’ the former motorsport alum said.
‘I’ve been away too much, I’ve travelled too much. I’ve had to, for work, but that’s why I’m retiring from racing, so we can have this new start with the kids and we can spend more time together as a family.
He admitted candidly: ‘The kids are growing. I feel like I’m missing a lot.’
Jenson Button has opened up about the ‘tough’ reality of fatherhood as he vows to dedicate the rest of his life to his family following a ‘very selfish career’
The British Formula 1 driver, 45, was joined by his wife Brittny Ward, 35, for a candid interview for Hello! Magazine (pictured together in June 2025)
‘I’m 45 already. It’s flown by; it’s been insane. But this point in my life is going to be the best part of my life. And I’m very, very excited.’
The sport legend shares two children, Hendrix, six, and Lenny, four, with his wife of three years.
The doting dad opened up about the difficulties of welcoming his first-born Hendrix, saying: ‘The first six months [after having their eldest] weren’t easy for me.
‘I loved Hendrix to bits – I didn’t want to put him down – but there are so many days that go by, and it’s just monotonous and it’s tough.’
Jenson couldn’t stop singing his wife’s praises, crediting her for helping him become a ‘better dad’.
‘When you’re racing as a driver in F1, you’re very selfish, you have to be. And that shift from being the most selfish person you can be, to having a family – it’s tricky,’ he admitted.
‘With how open Brittny is, it’s been very useful to talk about things that are an issue.
‘Being British, especially a British guy, we’re not very good at that, so having an American wife has definitely opened my eyes.
The world champion, who has been based in California for the past decade, announced his intention to step away from full-time racing to spend more time with his family in July
‘I’ve been away too much, I’ve travelled too much. I’ve had to, for work, but that’s why I’m retiring from racing, so we can have this new start with the kids and we can spend more time together as a family,’ he said
‘When you’re racing as a driver in F1, you’re very selfish, you have to be. And that shift from being the most selfish person you can be, to having a family – it’s tricky,’ Jenson admitted
Read the full interview in Hello!- on sale now
‘It helped me through those days that were a little bit more difficult.’
‘He’s really missing out on waking up with our kids every day,’ American WAG Brittny added.
‘We really don’t get to spend a whole lot of time [together], but for now, we just deal with it and know that next year, we’ll hopefully be a little calmer.’
She continued: ‘Our life can probably seem really glamorous, but at the end of the day, we’re just normal people and we have problems, just like everyone else.
‘We bicker, we get stressed with one another. But at the end of the day, family is everything.’
The model added fondly: ‘He is such a wonderful husband and father.
‘I definitely kissed a few frogs in my early twenties, but now I come home to someone and he feels like home. We have to be grateful every day.’
