MOTOR racing legends Craig Lowndes and Jenson Button will leave little in reserve when they swap cars for promotional hot laps around Mount Panorama later this month.
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Formula 1 star Button will take the wheel of Lowndes’ V8 Supercar as he completes his first ever laps of Bathurst’s iconic race circuit.
He will also pilot his Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-25 on a number of laps of the Mount before Lowndes gets in the driver’s seat.
Vodafone public relations manager Michelle O’Brien yesterday confirmed planning was well under way to bring the two stars to Bathurst on Tuesday, March 22 – just days out from the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix in Melbourne.
Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) media and communications co-ordinator Clive Banfield yesterday said the event had still not been granted final safety approval, but he again stressed CAMS could see no reason for it not to go ahead.
Mr Banfield said it was not unusual for final approval for a promotional event like this to be granted on the day.
“We’re still yet to issue a permit but we have absolutely no problem with it – in fact, CAMS is looking forward to it,” Mr Banfield said.
“We have imposed a number of conditions which are all relative to safety, bearing in mind that the whole track is being used and the promotion does involve a number of laps of the track.”
Mr Banfield said CAMS’ main concern was ensuring there were enough “fully-qualified trackside personnel” for the event and the height clearance of the F1 car.
“That’s the sort of information Vodafone already has for the V8 Supercar and we’ve asked that the same information is made available for the F1 car to ensure clearance is not a problem around the track,” he said. “The Dipper is the area we are most concerned about.”
Mr Banfield said he did not expect CAMS to impose any speed restrictions on the drivers, and Ms O’Brien said they would be pushing their cars at “80-90 per cent” of their capacity.
“Due to CAMS restrictions, the laps will not be timed,” Ms O’Brien said. “They will be demonstration laps only.
“It’s going to be an amazing day for Jenson Button as not only will he make an Australian first, he will also make his dream of driving a V8 car a reality when he takes the TeamVodafone V8 Supercar for a spin.
“Craig Lowndes will be taking the controls of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-25, the first time he has driven an F1 car. Craig will also drive his TeamVodafone car around Bathurst too.”
The Lowndes-Button car swap will be open to the public, with entry by gold coin donation to the Victoria and Queensland flood appeals.
The fun starts at 11am and Lowndes and Button will take time out to meet fans and sign a few autographs. Organisers are hoping for a crowd of around 10,000 people.
