Button enjoying racing for first time in years

Jenson Button is enjoying racing for the first time in a couple of years following a successful season in Super GT for the former Formula One world champion.

Button, who won the F1 drivers' championship in 2009, endured a hugely disappointing final few years in the sport as he struggled to score points in a consistently uncompetitive McLaren car.

He retired from F1 at the end of 2016, though he did return for a one-race cameo in Monaco in 2017 to allow Fernando Alonso to race in the Indy 500, and has since focused his energy on Super GT and the World Endurance Championship.

Button clinched the Super GT championship alongside team-mate Naoki Yamamoto this month and on Sunday claimed his first WEC podium, finshing third in Shanghai for SMP Racing.

The Briton shared the podium with Alonso, who was second for Toyota Gazoo Racing and, alongside Sebastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima, leads the WEC standings.

Our first LMP1 WEC podium! Top job by everyone @smp_racing for a great finish to the 2018 season. Big thanks to my team mates @vitalypetrov & @mikhailaleshin for a stellar performance. Over and out. #smp #11 pic.twitter.com/NyaFKFoW4N
— Jenson Button (@JensonButton) November 18, 2018

Button said: "It's been a good couple of weeks! Winning the Super GT Championship and getting a podium here; it's been a fun year for me.

"After a couple of tough years in F1, taking a year off and coming back to do reasonably well, I'm back and I'm enjoying it.

"It's been a couple of years since I've enjoyed racing."

Alonso will race for what is likely the final time in F1 in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, but has not confirmed his plans for 2019 beyond competing in the WEC and contesting the Indy 500 again for McLaren.