Honda has confirmed that Jenson Button will return to defend his Super GT GT500 title alongside Naoki Yamamoto this season, while also setting the rest of its lineup.
Button made his Super GT debut last season and won the title with Yamamoto, driving the Team Kunimitsu Honda NSX-GT, and has been expected to return to the series this year.
Sportscar365 reported last month that his likely Super GT return would lead to him missing the FIA World Endurance Championship events at Sebring and Spa in March and May, although Honda was yet to formally confirm his Super GT program.
Button and Yamamoto won at SUGO and scored three other podiums to beat 2017 champions Ryo Hirakawa and Nick Cassidy to the title last season.
In all, Honda has confirmed a five-car entry in Super GT’s top category, with lineups largely unchanged from 2018.
Tomoki Nojiri and Takuya Izawa will return to the Autobacs Racing Team Aguri operation while Hideki Muto and Daisuke Nakajima will again share the Team Mugen car.
Bertrand Baguette moves from Nakajima Racing to join Kodai Tsukakoshi in the Keihin Real Racing car, replacing Takashi Kogure.
Modulo Nakajima Racing is the only team with an all-new lineup meanwhile, with its car set to be shared by Narain Karthikeyan and Tadasuke Makino.