2009 FIA Formula One World Champion to Race his Ex-Fangio Jaguar C-Type
MONTEREY, Calif., June 27, 2024 — The competitive fire never diminishes in world-class athletes. Discontented sitting on the sidelines, 2009 FIA Formula One World Champion Jenson Button returns to the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion Aug. 14-17 not to sit idly by, but to race his 1952 Jaguar C-Type that was originally owned by six-time World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio. “Button visited last year to enjoy the racing, and we are very excited to see him hustle his storied Jaguar C-Type around the track and down the Corkscrew.”
From his debut at the 2000 Australian Grand Prix to his last race at the 2017 Monaco Grand Prix, Jenson Button’s Formula 1® career was filled with success: 15 Grand Prix victories, 50 podiums, and the ultimate prize of being World Drivers’ Champion in 2009. The British driver is now applying his skills to endurance and classic races. In 2023, he participated in three NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) races and started the centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a NASCAR entry.
Button brings a very historic Jaguar C-Type oozing with patina. Sold to its first owner, racing driver Juan Manuel Fangio in 1952, this C-Type (commonly referred to by its chassis number XKC 018) was soon after shipped to Argentina where it was sold to Jose Millet. From there Millet campaigned the car extensively at events throughout the 1950s in South America including the 1955 and 1956 1000km of Buenos Aires. Button raced the C-Type at the Goodwood Revival in September 2023.
At the 2024 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion Aug. 14-17 Jenson will be pitted against the Laguna Seca regulars like two Lola Mk 1s, Chris MacAllister in his 1955 Jaguar D Type, several Jaguar XK120 sports cars, more than one Le Mans Lotus 11 and 17, a 1958 Lister Knobbly, 1955 Elva Mk I, 1957 Maserati 200, 1960 Balchowsky Ol’ Yaller IX, an Allard, a Scarab and some of the California Road Race specials which took the fight to the Europeans at the Pebble Beach road races of the 1950s… the 1950 white Parkinson Jaguar Special driven by John Buddenbaum, Rob Manson’s 1949 dark blue Baldwin Mercury Special and Marcus Bicknell driving Rob’s yellow and silver 1952 Streets Manning V8 Special. The race group is this year the Briggs Cunningham Trophy which combines the Del Monte Trophy Race Group 1947-1955 (Pebble Beach racers) with front-engined 1955-1960 cars.
Read the official press release from the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at http://dmtrg.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/jenson_button_announcement_june_2024.pdf