Button unharmed in attack
Brazilian Grand Prix
Jenson Button, McLaren, Interlagos, 2010
McLaren say Jenson Button was unharmed in an attack on the car he was travelling in after leaving the Interlagos circuit in Sao Paulo on Saturday.
A statement released by the team said:
On Saturday evening (November 6) on the way back from the Interlagos circuit to Morumbi (Sao Paulo), armed would-be assailants made an attempt to approach the car that was carrying Jenson Button.
Neither Jenson nor the other occupants of the car were hurt. (The other occupants were John Button [Jenson’s father], Mike Collier [Jenson’s physio] and Richard Goddard [Jenson’s manager].)
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes had provided both Jenson and team-mate Lewis Hamilton with reinforced armoured vehicles driven by police drivers, who had been trained in avoidance techniques and were armed.
The police driver of Jenson’s vehicle reacted swiftly and, using avoidance techniques, rapidly forced his way through the traffic, taking Jenson and the other occupants of the car immediately away from any danger and back to their hotel.
The Sao Paulo authorities have also acted efficiently and will be providing additional security to transfer Jenson and other senior Vodafone McLaren Mercedes personnel to the Interlagos circuit for Sunday’s Brazilian Grand Prix.
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Hare (@hare) said on 7th November 2010, 4:47
Richard Goddard : ’5 guys, there was a guy with a plank of wood, another with a baseball bat, and one had a gun that I didn’t see but was told about.
Jenson Button (shortly after the attack): ’6 guys, all carrying machine guns’
Jenson Button (shortly after the attack + 10 mins): ’11 guys, all carrying machine guns, face masks, and one may have had an RPG’
Jenson Button (shortly after the attack + 17 mins): ’17 guys, all carrying RPG’s, and a nuclear submarine!’
Jenson Button (shortly after the attack + 23 mins): ‘A herd of Elephants, all carrying whales, eating some RPGs!!’
Jenson Button (shortly after the attack + 27 mins): ‘I didn’t see anything, I was drinking tea….’
The guys wanted to steal the car, failing that, smash the windows and lights, wreck the body panels, beep the horn… But they didn’t realise it was Jenson Button! As such they didn’t damage the wheels due to his almost supernatural ability to look after the tyres.
Hamish said on 7th November 2010, 9:03
For the sake of the sanity of society as a whole, please, do not ever become a comedian.
Hare (@hare) said on 7th November 2010, 23:53
Not a lot of sleep and a very busy weekend schedule involving lots of tickets and journeys to stadiums can do this to you….
…you have been warned, from the other side!!
J said on 7th November 2010, 11:14
LOL, what kind of drugs are you taking??
troutcor said on 7th November 2010, 9:38
I heard they thought about hitting Hamilton’s car first, but it was much faster than Button’s.
Alexi said on 7th November 2010, 10:28
Actually they came to steal Button’s grip and championship chances. They left with nothing.
Icthyes (@icthyes) said on 7th November 2010, 9:49
Glad to hear everyone’s okay.
Xibi said on 7th November 2010, 10:39
A few years ago Minardi had some tyres stolen if I remember correctly. Every GP held in Brazil seems to suffer from these type of stories unfortunately.
A similar situation also exists at the Hermanos Rodriguez circuit in Mexico. When Nascar held a race there, drivers and team members said they could hear distant gun shots, a result of gang activity.
Calum said on 7th November 2010, 10:40
Was it specifically Jenson that the yobs went for? Afterall he did have spats last year with their beloved Rubens, eg after the Spanish GP that would have wound up the Brazilians.
Or perhaps there was Vodafone Mclaren Mercedes branding on the car and they thought it was Lewis, they don’t really like him after ‘stealing Massa’s title’ ‘after Glock threw in the towel.’ ;) remember when the website was trying to make Hamilon get a puncture because users were putting porcupines and nails on a map of Interlagos circuit :/
Oh and don’t worry about Brazil hosting the Olympics, The 2012 games are being hosted in Stratford, part of London with a bit of a ‘rough’ reputation!!
Hamish said on 7th November 2010, 11:03
I know you’re a McLaren fan but good god you are reading way to much into this.
The cars they are driving to the circuit in Brazil are beefed up security wise, why on earth would they then go and put team branding on it? They are trying to avoid being identified.
To suggest this was specifically against the Jenson or that they really wanted to get Hamilton is just ridiculous. Where they travel through is a very poor part of Brazil. F1 is in town, F1 equals money and expensive things that can be exchanged for money. Its just a sad fact in life that money does buy a considerable amount of happiness.
Larcem said on 7th November 2010, 13:14
neh, the robbers probably don´t know much about F-1. If it were Alonso, or even Massa, they would have done the exact same thing.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys) said on 7th November 2010, 13:19
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/88024
Button talks about it.
wong chin kong said on 7th November 2010, 14:10
It was quite a shock and disappoinment such things happen to F1 drivers and latest news was Sauber engineers were robbed. What will be the damage to F1 reputation and also the championship title if one of the key contenders to the WDC is injured by these robbers? Jean Todt should review the scheduling of the Brazilian GP and I suggest he put this GP at the beginning of the season instead of 2nd last.
RobertG said on 7th November 2010, 14:28
And I have birthday tdy :)
Jraybay-HamiltonMclarenfan said on 7th November 2010, 14:50
A friend of mine was mugged last year, I thought he was joking because I thought Brazil was nice but it seems this area is a little rough, it’s a urban area not like I thought, my fault : D .
becarefull said on 7th November 2010, 15:17
Q&A with Button
We angled the car and floored it. It didn’t look like there was a big enough space there, but we got between six cars – and rammed every single one to get past. Just like how Vettel attempts an overtake.
Kyle Boyce said on 7th November 2010, 17:38
Well he is ok to race another day hopefuly if one of the brits dont get world championship perhaps they will get team champ in last race of 2010 good luck boys .
DeadManWoking said on 7th November 2010, 19:35
That bird’s already flown I’m afraid.
AshamedBrasilian said on 7th November 2010, 21:41
These guys should not be driven on the streets. They should of been flown in helicopters.
Interlagos has a massive helicopter area!