Max Verstappen’s GT3 outings will not solve F1 frustration, says Jenson Button

Jenson Button believes Max Verstappen’s endurance racing offers him a useful escape from F1, but says only winning again will change his view of the new regulations

Jenson Button does not think that Max Verstappen's endurance racing will help change his opinion of the new Formula 1 regulations.

The 2026 F1 season has welcomed a new wave of regulations for the championship. Verstappen has been upfront with his thoughts on the new-regulation cars, which feature an almost 50:50 split between internal combustion and electric power.

Initially describing the new regulations as "Formula E on steroids", Verstappen has argued that driving the new era of cars is more about energy management than pure racing.

In addition to his F1 commitments, the Dutchman is competing in GT3 endurance races whenever he can. Last weekend, he raced in the Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS) alongside Daniel Juncadella and Jules Gounon at the 58th ADAC Barbarossapreis, the second round of the 2026 NLS season.

While Verstappen and his team had initially won the race, they were later disqualified for exceeding the tyre allowance.

"I think the exciting thing is there are so many different types of motorsport out there," Button told Sky Sports F1 of Verstappen's endurance racing campaign ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images

"It's not like tennis, you don't really have many different types of tennis, whereas in motorsport there are so many different types of categories - endurance racing and multiclass racing, and that's what I think also puts a smile on his face.

"He spent the whole time overtaking cars. He drove a super GT car as well last week in the pouring rain in Fuji. These are the GT500s. This is what I raced back in 2018, 2019, they're so much fun to drive. He just wants to jump in everything, which is super cool."

When asked if endurance racing could rejuvenate the four-time champion and serve as a holiday, Button added: "No, I don't think it's going to change his view on F1 right now. What's going to change his view on F1 is when he starts winning races again. But it means that he has the release, when he goes and drives other cars, and he still has the opportunity to win."