[mkdf_dropcaps type=”normal” color=”#f55549″ background_color=””]F[/mkdf_dropcaps]
ormer Formula One (F1) world champion, Jenson Button, has become the latest F1 world champion to create his own Extreme E racing team, launching the JBXE race team.

2009 F1 world champion, Button joins Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg as F1 world champions with Extreme E team ownerships ahead of the inaugural season of the electric rally series set to begin in Saudi Arabia in April.

Announcing the launch of JBXE, which Button will also be driving for in the Extreme E competition, Button said: “I caught the off-road bug a few years back, which led to me entering my own team in a few races including the Mint 400 and even the Baja 1000 and I absolutely loved it.”

“It was around the same time I first heard about the plans for Extreme E, which I’ve followed with great interest, and what Alejandro, Ali [Extreme E chief marketing officer, Ali Russell] and the team have managed to create is nothing short of incredible.

“I haven’t even seen the car yet.

“And I don’t know if I’ll be able to test it.

“I need a lot of practice; I’ve signed up to a rally school.

“The cars are four-wheel drive monsters, and the format’s a bit like Star Wars pod racing.

“I’m up against rally champions such as Sebastien Loeb.

“The future will definitely be electric; you can’t have every single road car electric and have fuel-guzzling race cars.

“There are other possibilities that are very green, but electric is here and now, and there are regulations in many countries to stop building petrol cars.

“Owning a team makes me very proud.

“But I couldn’t just put my name to it, I had to go and drive it.

“Hamilton and Rosberg being there as well is so good for bringing awareness.

“It’ll bring a lot of eyes to it,” Button said.

With the creation of JBXE, Extreme E will now have 10 teams set up on its grid for its first seasons, with each team being made up of one male and one female driver.