TEAM MUGEN (Director: Nagataka Tezuka) announced today that McLaren-Honda racing driver Jenson Button will join the team for a one-off race in the SUPER GT Series, GT500 class. Jenson will drive a Honda NSX-GT at the 46th International SUZUKA 1000km, Round 6 of the SUPER GT series (August 27) at Suzuka Circuit, Japan.The announcement means TEAM MUGEN will race with three drivers behind the wheel; regular drivers Hideki Muto and Daisuke Nakajima, and Jenson.
The 2009 Formula One World Champion will take the opportunity to drive the TEAM MUGEN NSX-GT for the first time at Suzuka Circuit during two days of tyre testing on 6-7 June.
The Suzuka 1000km is the longest running car race in Japan, held annually since 1966. 2017 will be the last time Suzuka will host the race.
Jenson Button
“I am delighted to have the opportunity to race a NSX-GT at the prestigious Suzuka 1000km. Last year in December, I really enjoyed driving the NSX Concept GT at Honda Racing Thanks Day, and since then have been itching to drive it in a championship race. Thankfully when I approached Honda to race in SUPER GT they thought it was a great idea. I am grateful for this opportunity and am very much looking forward to racing in front of my Japanese fans again. See you guys at Suzuka in June!”
Nagataka Tezuka (Director, TEAM MUGEN)
“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 Muto, 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.”
Katsuhide Moriyama (Operating Officer, Chief Officer, Brand and Communication Operations, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.)
“Welcome Jenson to the SUPER GT series. It will be pleasure to see him driving the NSX-GT and I wish him an enjoyable race. We really hope Jenson’s challenge will encourage many fans to come to Suzuka and enjoy the last ever Suzuka 1000km.”
