The 2009 World Champion joins Aston Martin Aramco ahead of a pivotal 2026 season that could reshape Formula One’s competitive landscape.
Aston Martin continues to strengthen its Formula One ambitions ahead of what many consider the sport’s most significant regulatory reset in decades.
The British marque has announced that 2009 Formula One World Champion Jenson Button will join Aston Martin Aramco as Team Ambassador under a multi-year agreement, adding another respected figure to a team preparing for Formula One’s transformative 2026 season.
While Button’s role will focus on media, commercial, partner, and global engagement activities, the appointment signals something larger. As new technical regulations arrive and Honda becomes Aston Martin’s exclusive works power-unit partner, the team is positioning itself to capitalize on a rare opportunity to challenge Formula One‘s established hierarchy.
“Joining Aston Martin Aramco at such an important time for the team and the sport is really exciting,” Button said. “Honda’s new works partnership was a big draw, and the 2026 season feels like a fascinating moment for Formula One.”
The Honda connection is particularly meaningful. Button secured his first Formula One victory with the Japanese manufacturer at the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix and later captured Japan’s Super GT Championship driving Honda machinery. That relationship now comes full circle as Honda returns to Formula One alongside Aston Martin beginning in 2026.
Button’s appointment also reunites him with two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso, creating a partnership that brings decades of Formula One experience under one banner.
More importantly, the move reflects Aston Martin’s broader strategy. Over the past several years, the team has invested heavily in facilities, personnel, and technical partnerships while pursuing a long-term vision of becoming a championship contender. The arrival of new regulations offers one of the clearest opportunities in recent memory for ambitious teams to close the gap to Formula One’s traditional powerhouses.
“Jenson is one of the most respected figures in modern Formula One,” said Jefferson Slack, Managing Director of Commercial at Aston Martin Aramco. “He brings World Championship pedigree, deep experience with Honda, and an outstanding ability to connect with fans and partners around the world.”
Whether Aston Martin can translate that ambition into championship success remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that the team views the 2026 season as more than just another campaign.
The addition of Jenson Button is the latest signal that Aston Martin intends to be a major player in Formula One’s next chapter—not merely a participant in it.
