The proximity of the Hungarian F1 Grand Prix led Jenson Button to revisit one of the most important moments of his career. The former driver and 2009 category champion took the opportunity to encourage Kimi Antonelli to watch the highlights of his first victory in the category, achieved twenty years ago in a race that, according to him, ‘had absolutely everything’.
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The Briton also took the opportunity to joke with the current championship leader. Recalling that he won the race with more than thirty seconds advantage, Button highlighted that not even Antonelli, who had an impressive season in 2026, has managed to achieve a similar margin so far.
“I crossed the finish line more than thirty seconds ahead, not even Kimi Antonelli has managed that this season! Although he seems to be breaking practically every other record that comes his way. He wasn’t even born when I won in Hungary. Kimi, if you’re reading this, do yourself a favor and watch the highlights on YouTube. It had absolutely everything,” Button stated.
In that Hungarian GP in 2006, Button would start in fourth place, but a penalty for an engine change relegated him to 14th position on the starting grid. In unstable weather conditions, using dry, intermediate, and wet tires, the then Honda driver focused his efforts on avoiding problems.
The strategy paid off. Between overtakes and incidents involving opponents, such as Giancarlo Fisichella, Felipe Massa, and Kimi Raikkonen, the Briton advanced through the field during a race marked by constant events in the early laps.
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The decisive moment came after a safety car period, when Fernando Alonso, then leader, retired due to a rear wheel problem after a pit stop: “What helped me was the loose wheel on Fernando’s car. It was clear something was wrong. Suddenly, I was leading a GP,” he recalled.
Button explained that, despite the lead, there was no time to think about the importance of the moment: “You don’t start thinking about history or your first victory. You keep driving, trying to understand the grip, tire temperature, and traffic. In Formula 1, things can change very quickly,” he added.
With the battle remaining intense behind him, including a mistake by Michael Schumacher and Pedro de la Rosa’s first podium, the Briton received the checkered flag with a 30.837-second advantage: “I only realized the magnitude of it when I arrived in Japan, at Honda headquarters. It wasn’t just my first Formula 1 victory, it was also Honda’s first victory as an official team in decades, and you could feel the pride of the entire organization,” concluded the former British driver.
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