Jenson Button revealed that he had the opportunity to compete at the 2025 Indy 500, and said thanks but no thanks.

The 2009 Formula 1 World Champion explained that at his age, and after the racing career he has had, the fast-paced, high-adrenaline spectacle that is the Indy 500 is not something which he has on his bucket list, explaining how even as a spectator, it “scares” him to watch.

Jenson Button has no interest in an Indy 500 appearance

Motorsport fans will be in their element this weekend as two of the most prestigious events anywhere in the sporting world take place on the same weekend, those being the Monaco Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500.

The 109th running of the Indy 500 plays out on Sunday May 25, with former Ferrari F1 reserve Robert Shwartzman on pole.

Meanwhile, Button – who made 306 grand prix starts in Formula 1, and won his sole World Championship in 2009 as part of the iconic Brawn GP fairytale title double – is in Monaco on Sky F1 duties, that the scene of his final F1 race in 2017.

Since then, Button has been highly active across the sportscar and endurance racing scenes, three times entering the 24 Hours of Le Mans, but the final event that forms the ‘Triple Crown of Motorsport’ alongside Monaco and Le Mans – the Indy 500 – does not appeal.

Button would reveal in Monaco that he received an offer to compete at the Indy 500, but said no.

“This year I was asked to race in it, and I turned it down,” he said.

“I’m 45 years old. I’ve had a career I’m happy with that I don’t want to go and do that now.”

At that point, Sky F1 co-commentator Karun Chandhok pointed out to Button that his former Honda team-mate, Takuma Sato, has qualified on the front row for the 2025 Indy 500 at the age of 48, Sato a two-time winner of the event.

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“Isn’t it amazing that you sit there watching one car going round and round an oval track and you’re just absorbed,” Chandhok reflected on Indy 500 qualifying.

“I couldn’t turn away from it for the entire whatever, two hours it went on for.”

Button was also gripped, but it is not a comfortable watch for the 15-time grand prix winner, with the speeds and danger high around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“I still watch it through my fingers as well,” he said in response to Chandhok, “because it scares me how easy it is to end up in the wall.

“And it’s always a big shunt at 230mph.”

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