Former F1 star Jenson Button confessed to sharing a steamy moment with his then-girlfriend in a team office shortly after winning the Australian Grand Prix. The Brawn driver was full of passion following his victory and was keen to spend some alone time with his partner soon after stepping off the podium.
The new F1 season is now underway, with Melbourne hosting the first race of the year on Sunday. It was previously the scene of Button’s second-ever win on the grid, 17 years ago, as he set the tone for what would become a triumphant campaign. Driving for the newly-formed Brawn GP, the 46-year-old topped the podium after finishing 0.807 seconds ahead of team-mate Rubens Barrichello. It was the beginning of a dominant start for Button, winning six of the first seven races, and he soon celebrated the victory with his then-girlfriend Jessica Michibata in private.
The Brawn driver reunited with his lingerie model girlfriend in the paddock. The pair had a moment of passion behind closed doors after instructing an employee to leave the team office.
Upon exiting the room, Button told reporters: “It got a bit steamy in there.” The pair wed in 2014 before splitting up the following year. In 2022, Button married former Playboy model Brittny Ward, with whom he has two children.
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The F1 icon’s single season with Brawn resulted in his sole world championship. However, he reportedly banned Jessica from the Brazilian GP later that year as he sought to finally clinch the title in the penultimate race.
A source from Brawn said at the time: “It’s such an important weekend for Jenson. He has hundreds of things to do and wants to be able to concentrate on them alone. Jessica normally always travels with him, but he has to keep his mind on the job, so to speak.”
The decision ultimately paid off as the British driver became world champion after securing fifth place in Sao Paulo. Speaking after the race, Button said: “Jessica was gutted she wasn’t here to see me become world champion, but she understands the situation.
“I’ve been telling her, ‘Come on honey, you can get off work, I want to see you now.’ But she can’t, she’s working. I’ll see her Friday and I can’t wait.”
After his world title victory, Button spent the next eight years driving for McLaren, finishing as high as second in the drivers’ standings during the 2011 season. He retired in 2017, having won a total of 15 Grand Prixs throughout his storied career.
