01/03/2011
NEWS STORY
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Mat Coch writes:
Having traded cars with V8 Supercar driver Jamie Whincup in Melbourne last year, Jenson Button is set to get another taste of Australia's premier racing category in the build up to the season opening Grand Prix in Melbourne.
The exchange, a result of a both drivers links to Vodafone, will see Button get behind the wheel of Craig Lowndes Holden Commodore V8 Supercar while in return Lowndes will get the chance to taste a 2010 spec McLaren.
Different to last year's event, which was held around the Albert Park circuit, the pair will swap seats on the Tuesday before the Australian Grand Prix at the Mount Panorama circuit, home of the legendary Bathurst 1000 touring car race. It'll be the first time in living memory a Formula One car has lapped the circuit which has been host to four (non-championship) Australian Grands Prix.
The pair will complete five laps in their counterpart's cars, three of which are expected to be at close to racing speed. The fastest recorded lap around the 6.2km circuit, 2:06.801 - set by Lowndes during practice for last year's - Bathurst 1000, is expected to tumble.
Having been teammate to Juan Pablo Montoya during the pair's days in F3000 during the late 1990's it will be Lowndes first opportunity to drive a Formula One car, his career then turning back to touring cars in Australia. Button, by contrast, has previously hinted at a move into V8 Supercars after his Formula One career is over.
Many thanks to Dean Perkins for the picture of Craig.