Formula One racer Jenson Button will get behind the wheel of an NSX-GT at the 46th International Suzuka 1000 in August.

EX-MCLAREN-HONDA F1 RACER, Jenson Button will get behind the wheel of an NSX-GT for the Suzuki 1000 in August. Button will share driving duties with regular Team Mugen drivers, Hideki Mutoh and Daisuke Nakajima.

The 2009 Formula One World Champion will get his first chance to drive the circuit in an NSX-GT during two days of tyre testing on 6-7 June. This year’s Suzuka 1000 will be the last time Suzuka will host the endurance race, it’s been held annually since 1966.

In a statement, Jenson Button said: “After driving an NSX CONCEPT-GT at Honda Racing THANKS DAY last December, I became interested in racing in SUPER GT. I spoke with Honda and they have given me the chance to race at the Suzuka 1000km. As an F1 driver and a member of TEAM MUGEN, I will push to win. I am very much looking forward to racing in front of my Japanese fans again.”

Nagataka Tezuka (Director, TEAM MUGEN) added: “We are delighted to confirm that Jenson will be driving for TEAM MUGEN in the Suzuka 1000km. He is an extremely talented and experienced driver, and we hope he will have a great race. Hideki Mutoh, Daisuke Nakajima, and Jenson Button is an exciting and formidable driver line-up and we are confident TEAM MUGEN will be able to show its best performance at the final ever Suzuka 1000km.”

Button retired from Formula One at the end of 2016, but made a one-off return to ace for McLaren in the 2017 Monaco Grand Prix, filling in for Fernando Alonso who was attempting to win the Indy 500.