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McLaren driver Jenson Button (R) celebrates with girlfriend Jessica Michibata and team members after he won the Japanese Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, 2011.
© AP Images |
| Jenson Button's girlfriend |
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| Nationality |
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Japanese |
| Date of Birth |
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21sh October, 1984 |
| Place of Birth |
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Fukui, Japan |
If Nicole Scherzinger was the ‘Queen’ of the F1 tracks in 2008, the title was successfully embraced by Japanese beauty, Jessica Michibata the following year. Jenson Button had a strange change of fortunes in 2009; something he credits to his ultra-gorgeous, model girlfriend.
Jenson may posses the Greek God looks which he’s been known to use wildly to his advantage; he has had a string of romances with actresses and models in the past, but at present Michibata seems to be keeping her ‘Button’ firmly strapped up in the cock-pit.
Michibata was born and brought up in Japan. Her jaw-dropping good looks can be attributed to her multi-racial descent – she was born to an Argentine father, of Spanish and Italian descent, and a Japanese mother. It is not clear as to when Jen met Jess, although the romance was said to have blossomed when Jenson travelled to Japan for meetings with his then-Honda bosses.
Button also credits Jessica for helping him stay afloat when news of Honda’s pull-out from F1 came through in December 2008. Button admits, “I would have been a horrible person to live with over the winter. Luckily enough, I started dating Jessica and she looked after me. I spent a few weeks with her, which was great. We just got away from it all in Hawaii. It was really good.”
To Jenson’s good fortune, Brawn GP came to his rescue and the Brit put together some exciting performances for the team and clinched his first driver's title in 2009.
Button was clearly ecstatic after a superb opening race in Melbourne, Australia which marked the start of the 2009 season. Upon winning, he wanted to celebrate a private moment with his girlfriend. Reports say that soon after the race he kept the media waiting for a while as he made a quick dash to the team office alone with Michibata, shutting the door behind them. When the two emerged a few minutes later, with huge smiles adorning their faces, Button admitted, “It got a bit steamy in there.” She has been accompanying him to almost all the races and the two clearly seem head over heels in love.
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Jessica Michibata has been the Japanese brand ambassador for Lux soap, Samantha Thavasa, Evian Water, Seiko watches and Reebok sporting goods. She is also a spokes-model for lingerie brand, Peach John.
She has appeared in two international music videos and has also had stints on Japanese television.
Jessica, who is an avid movie-fan, writes a column on movies for a monthly magazine, Soup.
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