The British driver said his decision was not difficult as he did not have the time to commit to another season in WEC, especially with a young family.

“I’ve really enjoyed my time with Jota in WEC but my life has got way too busy and it’s not fair on the team or on myself to go into 2026 and think that I’m going to have enough time for it,” Button said.

“My kids are four and six and you’re away for a week and you miss so much, you don’t get this time back,” he added.

“I feel like I’ve missed a lot the last couple of years, which has been fine because I knew that would happen, but I’m not willing to do that again for another season.”

While Button is leaving professional racing, he still aims to compete for fun in his own classic cars when he can “pick and choose” what he does.

“I’ve got classic cars I love to race and for me that’s exciting because it’s mine – a car that I own – and I love the mechanical aspect,” he said.

“It’s very different to the cars I race in WEC and F1, you’re really connected to it which I love, having to heel and toe, getting the gear shift just right, no aero, it’s all mechanical.”