Jenson Button

Button in 2004, photo by draskovic/Bigstock.com

Birth Name: Jenson Alexander Lyons Button

Place of Birth: Mendip, Somerset, England, U.K.

Date of Birth: 19 January, 1980

Ethnicity: English

Jenson Button is a British racing driver. He competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship with Hertz Team Jota, and part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 15 Ford Mustang. He won the 2009 Formula One World Championship, driving for Brawn GP. He was signed to McLaren.

Jenson is the son of Simone Lyons and rallycross driver John Button. He was raised partly in Vobster, Mells, near Somerset. His father was well known in the U.K. in the 1970s, for racing his Volkswagen Type 1, nicknamed the Colorado Beetle; his best overall results were in 1976. He is said to have been named after his father’s opponent Erling Jensen. Jenson is married to American model Brittny Ward, with whom he has two children. Brittny was Playboy Playmate of the Month for January 2015.

One of his maternal grandparents was South African.