Jenson Button

Oh, it’s changed a lot! I've definitely had some faux pas over the years…One of them was in Milan. I was 20, just got into F1, bought my first supercar and was going out in town with my mates. I went to Prada and bought a beaver puffer jacket. I’m obviously very against wearing dead animals now, but back then I didn’t know any better and bought this jacket with a hood and went into the nightclub with the hood up!

Jenson Button

It’s funny because back in the day, F1 drivers would just wear their team shirts. I like that it's becoming a bit of a catwalk, and a lot of it has come from Lewis Hamilton wearing what he wants to wear. So all the other drivers now feel a bit more freedom to do what they want. And whether you like the style or not, I think it's cool that they're able to wear something that suits them.

Jenson Button

I like Pierre Gasly’s style, I have to say. I think he looks cool. Living in Los Angeles, it's very relaxed, but then you come to London, and it's a lot smarter when you go out. And I love when people take a bit of time to wear something that looks nice. I look back at the early days of flying, and racing and people used to look smart to go on a flight or the racetrack. I like the sense of formality.

Jenson Button

I would say Graham Hill, I think that he would look really good in LESTRANGE. For me, he's an absolute icon. Fangio…also super cool. I actually own one of Fangio's cars. Amazing. He was one of the ones who made the car. Those guys are legends in a lovely era.

Jenson Button

I've driven so many things around the world, which is fun, but the speed of an F1 car and the grip it has, there's nothing that comes close. So I miss that. I don't miss the pressure that I used to put on myself to race in F1. Now when I go racing I feel a lot more relaxed. It's more pleasurable.

Jenson Button

I had some of the coolest cars—a Ferrari F40 and Enzo—but they were just sitting there. I wasn’t driving them, and it felt wasteful. I decided to let most of them go, but I’ve kept a few that really mean something to me. One of them is my wife’s car, a Defender 110. It’s a bit of a project; we’re restoring it with new parts, and the interior’s being done by a company in Scotland. It’s going to be beautiful.

Jenson Button

One of the biggest things I’ve learned is how to deal with failure. It’s what makes you stronger. Failure is inevitable. Victories are obviously the dream but they don’t come around as often as you’d like. But when you do win, it feels so much more rewarding. That resilience—the ability to bounce back—is something I apply to business and life.

Jenson Button

I was always very independent, and to be honest, I didn’t listen much to advice. I think that was a weakness of mine. Looking back, I wish I had someone to talk to—someone who could help me deal with the pressure of racing and the ups and downs of sport. It’s not just about being good at what you do. It’s about handling the mental side of things, which I didn’t fully grasp until later.

I mean, one part of it is being determined and not listening to the outside world. And the other part is having that great growth mindset of constantly trying to evolve. It's a balance between the two. That’s what makes the mindset of a great driver.

Jenson Button

I still don't think most drivers understand the strength of growth and listening to others. I still think we have this feeling of ‘we know best’ because we’re put on a pedestal when you get to Formula 1.

You start to believe that you are the best and that you know the best. So I think that there's still a lot of room for improvement for racing drivers. I hope that it's changed in the sport. I don't really see that, but I hope it has changed that people are more open to the opinions of others. I think that’s really important.

Jenson Button

They say with Formula 1 drivers, “the age you get into Formula 1, is the age that you leave Formula 1.” You don't grow as in the real world, you grow as a racing driver. That was a big learning curve for me. The change from being selfish, which you have to be in motorsport and to being very open to other people's opinions. I had everything done for me so that I could fully focus on my racing and my driving and my engineering.

I've learned a lot from my wife and kids because now I'm the least important person in the household. I’ve also shifted focus to endurance racing.

I share a car with two other drivers. So again, I can't be selfish like I was in F1. That’s what I love about endurance racing. In F1, your teammate is your biggest rival, but in endurance, we work together as a team of drivers to make the car better.

Jenson Button

It’s still the same—it’s racing cars. I find it a source of relaxation. When you’re racing, you can’t talk to anyone. No one can talk to me. It’s just me, the car, and the track. That moment when you close your visor and head out into the pit lane—it’s the most peaceful feeling in the world. It’s always been the case.

Jenson Button

It’s an emotional connection. Just talking about cars gets me emotional. When I’m in my car, it’s all about the engine—the sounds it makes, the pistons moving, the revs, the tires squealing on the road. I’m not listening to music when I drive; I’m just focused on the car. It’s a special time for me.

Jenson Button

Definitely. Racing is all about precision, focus, and attention to detail. It’s everything. Attention on. That level of focus is about stripping back the unnecessary and narrowing down to a few things. I’ve learned to live in the moment—don’t think too far ahead, don’t dwell on the past. It’s helped me streamline things in business and life.

Jenson Button

It’s all about growing things organically. Some people might think it’s too slow, but for me, it’s important to keep things real whether it’s Coachbuilt Whisky, working with Rolex and now working with you guys. It’s all about keeping everything true to who I am. If I’m going to work with a brand, it has to be something I believe in. For example, I’ve worked with Rolex for years, and it’s a brand that I’ve loved since my first F1 race. I even bought my dad a Rolex for his 70th birthday before he passed away. It’s those kinds of connections that matter to me.

Jenson Button

It’s a busy phase, but not in a stressful way. It’s fun and beautiful. I’ve got two kids now and seeing my little people grow, it blows my mind; it’s part of my wife and I. Seeing them happy is the most important thing in my life. I want to do fun things for all of us—taking them to my car projects, to races, or getting them involved in things I love. That’s what’s important to me.