Jessica Michibata Jenson Button - McLaren's treasured driver Jenson Button has tied the knot with his fiancée Jessica Michibata in a scenic ceremony in Maui, Hawaii this past month.
On Wednesday night, Button and Michibata announced that they have become married after they both posted the same New Year message.
"Happy New Year from Mr & Mrs Button!!" it reads."We're excited to see in the New year with family and loved ones, we hope you're too!"
Albeit unannounced, Button's marriage to Michibata comes as no surprise to his fans. The 34-year-old Formula One driver got engaged to the 30-year-old Argentine-Japanese model in February 2014 - just a month after he lost his father, who was an instrumental part of his entourage.
Button and Michibata have been dating since 2008. Reports indicate that the couple met in Tokyo, Japan. Although they split momentarily about 3 years ago, they quickly came back together. Michibata has revealed that they had plans of walking down the aisle just about a year after they started dating, when Button won the Formula One title in 2009.
It is unclear why they decided to leave their wedding until now. Button can surely do with some of the magic that Michibata infected him with during his memorable 2009 Brawn Grand Prix run.
Button, who signed a two-year contract extension with McLaren in December, has been struggling to find gold since moving to McLaren. He has not worked well with his last two team mates - Sergio Perez and Kevin Magnussen. It is expected that his partnership with Fernando Alonzo this year would improve the McLaren team's chances.
Button has hinted that he intends to retire at McLaren - and it may very well be so. Despite not bringing home any trophies since he was signed, the team's confidence in him has grown every season. The former playboy's marriage will doubtless impress McLaren that he is becoming a more mature person. Reports indicate that there is a clause that allows for an extension of his contract after it expires in 2016.
While the Buttons celebrate their matrimony, Jenson will be keenly preparing for next season, which begins at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. In the 2014 season, Button finished 8th place on the overall standings with 126 points. His new team mate Alonzo, finished just two levels better with 161 points. Meanwhile, his McLaren-Mercedes finished 5th overall with 181 points.
