2009 Formula One World Champion Jenson Button is set to join Hertz Team JOTA for the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship season in the team’s #38 Porsche 963 LMDh prototype in the Hypercar class.
This news will see Button return to the FIA WEC after his one-off appearance at the Le Mans 24 Hours earlier this year as part of the fan-favourite NASCAR Garage 56 effort. It also adds to his recent Porsche LMDh drive with JDC-Miller MotorSports at Petit Le Mans back in October.
Next season Button will share the ‘Mighty 38’ Porsche with Phil Hanson and Oliver Rasmussen. He is the final JOTA driver to be revealed ahead of the season opener in March at Qatar after the team confirmed that Hanson, Rasmussen, Norman Nato, Callum Ilott and Will Stevens will all form part of its expanded two-car Hypercar effort.
“I’m thrilled to be racing with Hertz Team JOTA in the 2024 World Endurance Championship alongside my teammates Oliver Rasmussen and Phil Hanson,” Button said. “Both already have a lot of experience in endurance racing and that is key. Endurance racing is about teamwork and there is no better team than Hertz Team JOTA to be taking on the big manufacturers in Hypercars.
“I’m already looking forward to the first race in Qatar but also know there’s a lot of work to be done so that we arrive prepared.”
Frédéric Lequien, CEO of the FIA World Endurance Championship, remarked: “It’s an honour to have Jenson Button – a hugely successful driver across many racing disciplines – competing full-time in the WEC next year.
“With nine manufacturers in the Hypercar category next year including star names such as Jenson confirmed on the grid, everything is now in place for the WEC to have its most spectacular season yet.”
As part of the drive, Button will head to Le Mans for his third start. Before running at La Sarthe in the Hendrick Motorsports-prepped Camaro ZL1 back in June, Button competed with SMP Racing in LMP1 back in 2018.
Before the FIA WEC season gets underway Button will also compete at the Rolex 24 Hours in January as a one-off appearance. In what will be his Rolex 24 debut, he will drive in WTRAndretti’s #40 Acura ARX-06 alongside Jordan Taylor, Louis Delétraz and Colton Herta.
Featured image courtesy of NASCAR G56
