Le Mans win won't be easy but Button 'optimistic'
Jenson Button believes it is not going to be easy for his Cadillac Hertz Team Jota to get on the podium at Le Mans this weekend but feels "optimistic" about the chances.The former Formula 1 world champion finished ninth at last year's event for the British Jota team.The historic endurance race in north-west France begins on Saturday."[I feel] pretty optimistic. When you look at the testing on the weekend you'd say that Toyota and Ferrari do have an advantage in terms of pace," Button told BBC Radio Somerset."But this race isn't entirely about pace, it's about teamwork, not making mistakes through the night, consistency. All those areas we're very strong."I'm really looking forward to the race. It's not going to be the easiest for us to get on the podium but it never is in a 24-hour race."
This year's event will mark Button's fourth outing at Le Mans. He raced in 2018 for SMP Racing but retired due to engine issues. He returned in 2023 in the Hendrick Motorsport NASCAR entry and then last year raced for Jota for the first time in a Porsche-powered entry.Team Jota have switched to Cadillac for 2025."Last year was the first year really where I had a chance of winning in the top category," Button said."I still feel a bit of a newbie when it comes to racing at Le Mans, which I love because there's so much excitement and adrenaline."The 45-year-old will drive alongside former Le Mans winners Sebastien Buemi and Earl Bamber in this year's Cadillac V-Series R.Buemi won the Le Mans race with Toyota in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022. Bamber is also a former winner, having clinched the title with Porsche in 2015."I come here with a team that has a lot of experience racing here and winning here in their two categories," Button said. "Also my two team-mates are very experienced so it helps me a lot get to grips with the car and the weekend."
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