Celebrity News

Jenson Button: Ant Anstead is a ‘caring guy’ and ‘great with his kids’

Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button can’t say enough good things about his “wonderful” pal Ant Anstead.

“He’s a very caring guy and great with his kids,” the Williams Racing ambassador told Page Six at the Miami Grand Prix, amid Anstead’s ongoing custody drama.

“He’s such a hard worker. He’s a wonderful human being,” he added. “[He’s] someone that I would definitely class as a very good friend that I could trust fully.”

Anstead, 43, shares 2-year-old son Hudson with ex Christina Haack. He’s also dad to Amelie, 18, and Archie, 15, with his first wife, Louise Herbert.

Button, who won the F1 world championship in 2009, has been working with the father-of-three to revive Radford Motors, a company known for building bespoke Aston Martins, Bentleys and Mini Coopers.

Button was at the Miami Grand Prix in his new role as a Williams Racing ambassador. Richard Pardon

“When he started talking about Radford I was so busy,” Button explained, noting Anstead eventually convinced him to come on board.

“We thought, ‘This is going to be bloody hard work to start a car brand.’ … And it’s been tough, as all startups are, but there have been more ups than downs and we’re in a really good place.”

The pair, who are both based in the US, are working to revive Radford Motors. ant_anstead/Instagram

Button also told us that the ”Wheeler Dealers” host and new girlfriend Renée Zellweger make “a great couple.” He spent quality time with the pair when they attended his wedding to Playboy model Brittny Ward in March.

“I’ve [always thought] he’s going to end up with someone special because he’s such a special individual himself,” Button said.

Anstead started dating Renée Zellweger following his split from Christina Haack. ant_anstead/Instagram

He and Anstead were both in the paddock at the Miami Grand Prix last week, where Max Verstappen claimed victory and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton finished sixth.

Despite a difficult start to Hamilton’s 2022 campaign, Button said it was “only a matter of time” before his former teammate was winning again.

“He’s had a couple of bad races, we all have it in our career,” he said. “[But] he’s not lost it since last season when he was winning races. He’s a seven-time world champion — almost eight — he will keep fighting as long as he wants to.”

As for Anstead, the motor specialist is currently amid an ongoing custody battle with Haack, 38, over son Hudson. He was denied full custody of Hudson just hours after he submitted the emergency petition last month. The exes have a hearing set for June 28.