Jenson Button may be a renowned British Formula One driver, but life away from the racetrack is when he is most happy. The 43-year-old, who made his F1 debut with Williams in 2000 and won the world championship with Brawn in 2009, married the stunning model and actress, Brittny Ward, in 2022 after a six-year romance. Together, they are doting parents to Hendrix, four, and Lenny, two.
"Winning a world championship was something very special and that's going to stay with me forever but it's nothing on having kids and seeing them healthy and happy, that's the best," he exclusively told HELLO! at the launch of the new Hackett fragrance collection. "It's funny, because we sit at home – me and my wife - watching the kids play in the garden. We just look at each other and just smile, then say, 'We're so lucky."
With a shared love for cars, adventure and each other, Jenson and Brittny's relationship has gone from strength to strength - and it's clear to see just how much they support each other.
The couple were introduced to one another through a mutual friend during an evening out in 2016. Asked about the moment he realised he was "in love," with Britnny, the dad-of-two recalled: "We were in an Italian restaurant and sat across the table from her and she just asked, 'What do you do for a living?' And I was like, 'Oh, I race cars.' She was like, 'Oh, cool.'
"She then went, 'Oh, really? What type of cars?' I said, 'Oh, full on cars.' She then went, 'Oh, wow. Is that like NASCAR?' And it was at that moment, I knew that she was the one because she had no idea what I did for a living. That was important to me."
He added: "You know, she liked me for who I was, and she was very sarcastic – since she's American, that's quite unusual. She can understand British sarcasm which I think is important in a relationship."
The British-born racing driver proposed during a weekend in Malibu in June 2018, where they marked Britnny's birthday. They intended to get married two years later, however the coronavirus pandemic scuppered their plans. They finally exchanged vows in 2022 in Palm Desert, California after delaying their wedding several times.
'I knew that she was the one because she had no idea what I did for a living'
Despite the delay in their marriage, Jenson is looking forward to marking their second wedding anniversary as well as their eight-year anniversary since they met in December. "I'm terrible [at making plans] but I think it's our eight-year anniversary in a month or two so that's a big deal," he shared. "Eight years have just flown by. I don't know what we're going to do, but we will do something special.
"I'm definitely at home, which is nice because a lot of the time I'm traveling. I always make sure I'm at home for anniversaries and birthday parties as much as I can. We will do something special, which will probably involve the kids as well."
Very much the family man, the former F1 champion confessed he is a little miffed that his children prefer another driver to him. On the topic of how his kids deal with his fame, and if they understand the enormity of his high-profile status, Jenson shared: "They came to one of my races this year - I did three NASCAR races so they came to one in Austin. They actually sat in the car just before the race started, which is pretty cool.
"They know that I race, they know that I'm on TV, but the racing part of it is what they're interested in for both of them. I always ask my son, 'Who is your favourite driver?' And it's actually not me. It's another NASCAR driver called William Byron. I think he just finished third in the NASCAR championship. "I'm like, 'Oh, ok. So who's your second favourite driver?' And it's like, 'Daddy'. So at least I'm the second favourite. That's good enough."
Last week, Jenson's new documentary with Hollywood star Keanu Reeves, Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story, released on Disney+. As well as taking part in the odd NASCAR race, filming documentaries and doing punditry, Jenson - who retired from F1 in 2017 - hasn't completely given up on racing.
Next year, he plans to return to the track and is considering the World Endurance Championship or the IMSA SportsCar Championship. "My fitness now is very different to what it was when I was in F1," Jenson explained when quizzed over how he was preparing his return.
"I'm lifting a lot more weights now because you lose a lot of muscle mass when you get into your forties if you don't train.
"Strengthening everything if you don't have injuries. I'm definitely a little bit heavier. It's all good the fitness is there for the racing. I'm going to do a little bit less in other areas so I can race. I've got clearance from the wife."
As well as making the most of their time together when Jenson isn't travelling, both he and his wife Britnny, 33, often train together – a time, which he calls very "special".
"Initially when I left F,1 I trained even more because I qualified for the World Championship for 70.3 Ironman," he shared. "I was doing 20 hours of training a week but it was too much and it just didn't fit with my sort of lifestyle. So now it's an hour a day, every day when I'm home.
"My wife is big into boxing so I basically just copy what she does and follow her lead - just combinations and it's great for reactions. I'm now 43 so it's good to keep your reactions good." He continued: "Training is actually one of the best things for me and I also want to do most of my training with my wife. We don't get to spend much time alone together away from the kids so that's pretty special.
"For example, on a weekend when the kids are out of school, we love going to Malibu. We're very close to Malibu and there's a farmers market, where we just casually walk around. There's also a playground with swings and stuff which [the children] love. When the kids are happy and they're smiling, that's all you want to see and it makes me very happy."
'My wife and I don't get to spend much time alone together away from the kids so that's pretty special'
There's no denying he is a man of many talents, he is also the ambassador of British menswear brand Hackett. The very brand Jenson used on his wedding day, where they created a "suave custom-piece" suit for him. Now, he has become the face for Hackett Absolute, a fragrance inspired by the unique atmosphere of London.
Of their long partnership, Jenson said: "I would never want to work with a brand or associate myself with something that doesn't work with me. I'm very lucky that I've been able to work with Hackett for all these years. It's a brand I really love and did before I was involved."
It seems the racing star tends to gravitate towards the "fresher" scents. "For me, it's more when I'm heading out the door and I'm excited to be outside, I want to be reminded of the beautiful sunshine, that's what it's like the whole time in California," he remarked. "So that's more of what I like."
Hackett Fragrances is the brand's deep connection to London. Essential, Bespoke and Absolute, exquisite and distinct fragrances that embody the British capital's very essence: classic with Essential, defiant with Bespoke and alluring with Absolute.
"I'm definitely not a connoisseur, an expert or a mixologist for fragrances," Jenson divulged. "But these fragrances are incredible and very wearable."
Jenson Button is the ambassador for Hackett Absolute, a fragrance inspired by the unique atmosphere of London. Available from Boots and Boots.com now.