Jenson Button set for Rallycross as he takes on new challenge

Jenson Button is set to take on a new motorsport challenge this year as he prepares to take part in Rallycross.

The 2009 Formula 1 world champion has embarked on several different motorsport genres since leaving F1, with keen to explore different kinds of racing.

Indeed, he’s taken part in endurance racing and Extreme E, and now he’s entering a world that should be fairly familiar to him, given his late father John Button was a big name on the British Rallycross stage back when he was competing.

“I want to go racing. I love racing, I love competing and I want to have fun,” said Button.

“I’m looking forward to racing Nitro RX with Xite Energy, a team which has great experience of not just rallycross but also racing electric vehicles.

“And I get to race alongside my mate Oli. He’s a great character, great for the sport and comes with a lot of experience of competing on the dirt.

“Hopefully, I can learn that side from him and he can learn from my circuit driving.

“It’s going to be a fun partnership, but I think it’s going to be a good partnership as well and hopefully we can take it to the big boys in rallycross.”

His new team, Xite Energy, confirmed the news earlier today on Twitter with Button set to partner Oliver Bennett within the garage: