Austin Way Magazine - GreenGale Publishing - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.
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in the high global society that also claims Button. And she's able to go from shimmering in a red gown at Prince William's party or boating in Ibiza in a white bikini to run- ning a triathalon with Button and kickboxing for fun. She's a stunning figure of support for Button in the paddocks in Austin, too. Button's understated yet razor-edged focus may be the primary factor that got him where he is now. Joe Saward, a fellow Brit and Formula One writer who hasn't missed an F1 race in 26 years, watched Button grow up on world- wide tracks. He claims that Button "is definitely in the [Alain] Prost line. He's a stylish, effortless driver who is relentless—lap after lap after lap, he is there. A Lewis Hamilton [type] may be able to produce faster laps in qualifying, but Jenson's strength is in the ease with which he can build races." This, in effect, is how Button built his entire career: relentlessly. And such long-form drama distinguishes F1 from other quick-burn, smash-and-crash sports, too. It's what makes F1 addicting to its fans and intriguing to those on the cusp of fandom. Button admits: "That was always the worry with Formula One— with us going to America—because you have Nascar, where there's a massive amount of overtaking and it's a real spectacle, with lots of action. F1 is very different. When we actually make an overtaking move, it's like, wow; it's that difficult to do. And we were a little worried about putting on a show—but the racing has been fantastic in Austin." Saward agrees: "[F1] is not just about the racing on the track. It's a major indus- try, right at the cutting edge of automotive technology. It's filled with brilliant people. At the same time, it has elements of soap opera; it has European chic; it has the glamour of international travel and the whole celebrity thing as well." Button definitely uses his celebrity for good, having established a charitable trust, running triathalons for important causes, and serving as spokesperson for Johnnie Walker's designated-driver campaign called Join the Pact ( see sidebar). "Because of what I do for a living, I can have quite a big voice and a big impact," Button says. "I'm very lucky that I can be in that position and try my best to help— [drunken driving] is a problem all around the world." The F1 life doesn't allow drivers a minute of security, and Button has no idea where he'll be this time next year. But he knows two things for sure. One is that he'll have a "wicked" good time in Austin. He looks forward to his third trip to Circuit of the Americas: "The layout is fan- tastic. From Turn 2 to Turn 8, it's such a high speed—and high-speed chases are action." He can't wait for the race to be finished, either. "We love the Austin Grand Prix. I love the live-music vibe. It's really cool—it's something so different to most cities that we race in." And he knows he'll always belong to the history, to the culture, to the pure, dirty, elegant, diabolic, divine, ani- malistic sport called Formula One. "I love this sport still. I love racing; I love racing wheel to wheel with world cham- pions, even if we're not winning races. If I'm not enjoying it, I don't want to be doing it." Formula One United States Grand Prix is Friday, October 31, through Sunday, November 2, at Circuit of the Americas, 9201 Circuit of the Americas Blvd., 512-301-6600. Sunday-only general admission tickets start at $152; three-day passes start at $169; circuitoftheamericas.com/ f1. For event packages, visit cotaexperiences.com. AW photography by andrew Ferraro/McLaren human being. The year before I won the world champi- onship, I had a terrible year, my worst in the sport. I learned so much that year about myself, about strength, and about fighting for what you want and what you believe in. That's why I had to drive in 2009 [and wanted to] help the team exist; that's why I had a chance at win- ning the championship." So how did he survive the politics, rivalries, changing team loyalties, losses, and demands of this high-powered game to come out as a world-level winner, a veteran of the track, and a still-dangerous contender at the tender age of 34? Button got schooled in fame early on: "It's been difficult for me to trust people through my career because you're always wondering what they want, right or wrongly." He's mastered the art of public-figure-hood, balancing privacy against generosity and joviality to the media and fans. And he keeps his inner circle tight: "All of my close friends are still the guys I grew up with," he reveals. His dad helped immensely. John Button was an English rallycross driver who died in January of this year to collec- tive grief—he was known and loved in the paddocks. The McLaren team principal at the time, Martin Whitmarsh, spoke in John's tribute: "In my long Formula One career, I've encountered many drivers' fathers, but I think it's safe to say that John was perhaps most devoted to his son, [more] than any of them." And Button always maintained a necessary and protective selfishness. "In Formula One, you learn that you have to be self-centered in many ways. It's not a good life trait, really, but when you're in this sport, everything has to be about F1, which makes relationships difficult." Difficult, but not impossible. Jessica Michibata, his fiancée, seems to meet and complement his competitiveness. The Argentine-Japanese model lives Button raced in a McLaren Mercedes MP4-29 at the Monte Carlo Formula One event in May. Join The PacT Johnnie Walker has placed responsible drinking at the heart of its nine-year part- nership with the McLaren Mercedes F1 Team, with Jenson Button and Kevin Magnussen as key ambas- sadors for the campaign. This year Johnnie Walker is continuing to collect pledges from consum- ers vowing to designate a driver via the hashtag #ImNOTdriving. Johnnie Walker made an impactful short flm for Join the Pact to encourage people to pledge; The Glass Car can be viewed on YouTube. jointhepact.com 90 AUSTINWAY.com