28/04/2012
NEWS STORY
Jenson Button will drive a Formula 1 car through the heart of Budapest on Tuesday, providing a spectacular conclusion to a full weekend of entertainment laid on by Vodafone Hungary to celebrate the modernisation of its network. Improvement is the common theme running through all the activities in the Raise Your Game weekend, with a variety of competitions in which the winners will get to meet the 2009 world champion in person.
A children's folk dancing group from Debrecen will perform for Button at the opening ceremony of the Vodafone Downtown Grand Prix before he makes his first run on the 1.6km street course, along Bajcsy-Zsilinszky ut and Alkotmany utca. The newly surfaced roads, which pass near iconic Budapest locations such as the chain bridge and Parliament building, will enable Jenson to safely demonstrate the performance of his Vodafone McLaren Mercedes car in an urban environment.
After three runs on the street course and media engagements, Button will field questions from the public. He'll also meet the Hungarian Olympic water polo team - and try out the Vodapolo smartphone app - before hooking up with the nine Raise Your Game winners.
Throughout the weekend, the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Fanzone will offer visitors a unique insight into the life of a Grand Prix team; they can try their luck at changing a wheel in a pitstop challenge, compete with their friends in a race simulator, and even try on a real Vodafone McLaren Mercedes racing helmet. For those who find the competitive activities a little too physical, there are makeovers and star chef demonstrations as well as entertainment for the children. In fact, there's so much going on that Vodafone Hungary has created an app: Guide@Hand offers a comprehensive event listing with helpful maps, runs on both Android and iPhone, and is free to download.
"I'm very excited to take part in this special event and speed through Budapest city centre as fast as Vodafone Hungary's brand new network," said Button. "Trying to throw a goal with the help of the Vodapolo application with the Hungarian National Waterpolo team members will also be interesting. It seems that, like the other visitors to the Raise Your Game Weekend, I'll also be trying something new."
You can watch a live stream of Button as he drives through the streets of Budapest here.
(Please note – the run will be streamed live at 12:30pm UK time)