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Saturday, November 6, 2010

Formula 1 world champ Jenson Button was last night threatened by robbers with machine guns - forcing his driver to ram through traffic to escape.

The shaken driver has beefed up his security after the attack, which happened as he left the Interlagos race track in Sao Paulo last night before today's Grand Prix.

Button, 30, was being driven in a specially armoured car with his father, manager, trainer and an armed guard when a gang including a man brandishing a pistol tried to hold up the car.

His driver, who is specially trained in emergency avoidance techniques, rammed his way past five cars and sped off to safety.

Button said last night: "I was terrified. I saw a man with a truncheon and a pistol. I didn't know what was going to happen.

"The driver just floored it. We must have hit five cars but we got out of there. He was a legend."

With Button in the car were his trainer, Mike Collier, father John, manager Richard Goddard and an armed security guard plus the driver.

Mr Goddard said: "It was the quick thinking of the driver and the strength of the Mercedes that saved us.

"This gang came out of the falavellas (slums) and he just floored it. He saved us."

Earlier in the day Button, who drives for McLaren, had qualified in 11th place, effectively ending his chances of defending his world title.

The penultimate round of the World Grand Prix Championship is held every year in Brazil under massive security, ringed by hundreds of armed police and in the past grand prix team cars have been shot at.

Grand Prix teams regularly order their teams not to wear uniforms in Brazil so they cannot be recognised and become potential targets for robbers.

A team spokemsan said: "Neither Jensen nor the other occupants were hurt.

"McLaren had provided both Jensen and teammate 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 Jensen and the other occupants of the car immediately away from any danger and back to their hotel."

Police have stepped up additional security to transfer Jensen to the Interlagos track.


I've taken that article from sundaymirror.co.uk

Can you believe it ? I guess that's what happens when you host multi million races in such a hell hole...

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