The 2009 Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button has been confirmed as the third driver for JDC-Miller Motorsports’ Porsche 963 at the Petit Le Mans on 14 October.
Jenson Button will make his IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship debut at the final race of the 2023 schedule at Road Atlanta.
He is set to drive their #5 GTP alongside full-season drivers Mike Rockenfeller and Tijmen van der Helm for the 10-hour endurance race.
His most recent endurance race appearance was at the Centenary 24 Hours of Le Mans in June, where he joined Rockenfeller and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson in the Garage 56 Chevrolet Camaro Cup car entry, run by Hendrick Motorsports.
Button said: “I’m very excited to announce that I will be racing at Petit Le Mans this year with 2021 Sebring winners JDC-Miller MotorSports.
“Whilst I’m having a lot of fun cutting my teeth in the NASCAR Cup series this year, a prototype with high downforce is definitely more in my comfort zone.
“That said, the Porsche 963, the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship, and Road Atlanta are all brand new to me so I can’t wait to tackle all three with my teammates for the weekend.
“I partnered with Rocky at Le Mans this year and he will be invaluable as he’s fantastic at car/team development.
“He is also incredibly quick which always helps! I’ll also have the pleasure of working with rookie Tijmen van der Helm who seems to really be gaining speed and confidence through the season so we should have a lot of fun.”
Before that, Button’s endurance prototype experience begun with SMP Racing during four rounds of the WEC 2018-19 Super-Season, where he last competed at the 6 Hours of Shanghai (2018), and finished third in the BR Engineering LMP1.
Petit Le Mans will mark his first race outing in a GTP, as part of the newly introduced regulations for LMDh and LMH, which replaced IMSA’s DPi and the WEC’s LMP1 categories.
John Church, Managing Partner at JDC-Miller MotorSports, added: “JDC-Miller MotorSports is honored to confirm that Jenson will be joining us for the final race of the season in our Porsche 963 at Road Atlanta.
“The team had hoped to have him join Rocky and Tijmen at Watkins Glen but unfortunately that did not work out as the very busy Jenson had some TV commitments. His accomplishments speak for themselves.
“He and Rocky bonded through the extensive development of the Garage 56 Camaro.
“We are confident he will quickly integrate with the team and get up to speed with the 963.”
The final race of the season, and the next race on the Endurance Cup calendar, will take place in October to conclude the debut season for GTP.
