Jenson Button has compared racing against Fernando Alonso to competing against Michael Schumacher—he hopes the Spaniard will continue in Formula 1
Jenson Button has equated racing against Fernando Alonso with racing against Michael Schumacher. In his “Jenson’s Journal” for Aston Martin ahead of the Italian Grand Prix, he reflects on Alonso’s career, while the paddock waits to see whether the Spaniard will decide to compete in another Formula 1 season.
“The biggest compliment I can pay Fernando is that racing against him was very similar to racing against Michael Schumacher,” writes Button. “In my experience, it was tough but fair. It went right to the limit every time, and I loved that. That was part of the challenge.”
“When I won my first Grand Prix in Hungary [in 2006], I was battling against them, and that’s exactly what you want as a driver. You want to battle against the best, against the greats, to see how you measure up,” said the 2009 world champion.
“Throughout my career, I’ve had the chance to race against drivers like Fernando and Michael, but also against Mika Häkkinen, Kimi Räikkönen, Lewis Hamilton, and Max Verstappen. I was really lucky to be able to race against some of the true legends of this sport.”
Button also praised Alonso’s ability to adapt to any car and any setup. “Fernando drives like no one else. He’s aggressive, he adapts brilliantly, and he’s been that way throughout his entire career,” said Button, who was Alonso’s teammate at McLaren in 2015 and 2016.
At 45, there is currently speculation about Alonso’s future in the championship. While rumors of retirement and a possible move to Alpine are circulating, the Aston Martin driver has not yet confirmed what his future holds after the 2026 season.
“Obviously, this year has been tough, but it’s still an exciting time to be at Aston Martin and to work with people like Adrian Newey. Every Formula 1 driver would love to drive a car he designed and experience firsthand how he’s helping to move this team forward,” said the Aston Martin ambassador.
“I know how difficult it is to decide on one’s future, and he’s been in this situation before. He left the sport and came back, so he obviously left too soon. Now he’ll make sure he’s 100 percent certain he no longer wants to be in the sport before he leaves.”
“Fernando still has so much more to give in Formula 1. I’d love to see him in an Aston Martin competing for wins. That’s where he belongs, and that’s exactly where this team is headed,” said Button.