Jenson Button's life has always seemed picture-perfect, but in a new exclusive interview with HELLO!, conducted by Melanie Bromley, the former Formula One star got candid about his home life with wife Brittny and two children.
Reflecting on balancing his professional driving career with raising his and Brittny's, 35, two children, Hendrix, six, and Lenny, four, Jenson, 45, admitted: "The first six months [after having their eldest] weren’t easy for me. I loved Hendrix to bits – I didn't want to put him down – but there are so many days that go by, and it's just monotonous and it's tough."
Jenson's pride in wife Brittny
"I'm so proud of Brittny for being an amazing mum and helping me become a better dad," he continued. "When you're racing as a driver in F1, you're very selfish; you have to be. And that shift from being the most selfish person you can be, to having a family – it's tricky."
The Coachbuilt Whisky boss – who announced his retirement from full-time racing in July – added: "With how open Brittny is, it's been very useful to talk about things that are an issue. Being British, especially a British guy, we’re not very good at that, so having an American wife has definitely opened my eyes. It helped me through those days that were a little bit more difficult."
Brittny Button opens up about impact of Jenson's career
American model and interior designer Brittny also reflected on the impact her husband's career had on their home life. "He's really missing out on waking up with our kids every day," she confessed.
"We really don't get to spend a whole lot of time [together], but for now, we just deal with it and know that next year, we’ll hopefully be a little calmer.
She also revealed the secret to their enduring love. "I think that our love matures and changes. It's give and take, and learning," she reflected. "When you're with a racing driver, when all they've had to do is focus on themselves… it's a big transition for him, so with me just being patient, we're maturing together. I have had to mature a lot."
How did Jenson Button meet his wife?
The pair met in 2016 after having been introduced by a mutual friend at an evening out. Two years later, the sports star got down on one knee in Malibu during Brittny's birthday weekend and proposed.
In 2022, the pair tied the knot in Palm Desert, California, after delaying their wedding several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Interview: Melanie Bromley
To read the full exclusive interview, pick up the latest issue of HELLO! on sale in the UK on Monday. You can subscribe to HELLO! to get the magazine delivered free to your door every week or purchase the digital edition online via our Apple or Google