The Button-Lowndes car swap at Bathurst

[eytl]

On Tuesday, Jenson Button and V8 Supercar driver Craig Lowndes took part in a "car swap" publicity event at Mount Panorama, Bathurst. McLaren brought a 2008 MP4-23, the same car with which Lewis Hamilton won the 2008 British GP. Button completed five laps before Lowndes drove three laps in his Holden Commodore. Then they swapped seats with Button driving four laps in the V8 Supercar and Lowndes completing five laps in the McLaren.

Around 15,000 to 20,000 turned up to watch a Formula One car go around the Mount Panorama circuit for the first time ever and to see one of the unanswered questions in motorsport resolved - just how fast could an F1 car go around this famous ribbon of tarmac. Lowndes holds the lap record in a V8 Supercar at 2min 06.8s. Button got down to 1min 48s in the McLaren. Although it will not go down as an formal lap record because there was no official time, it was the first time anyone had gone under 2min on The Mountain. And, being a publicity stunt, he wasn't really even trying - he reckons F1 cars might even be able to get down into the high 1min 30s.

Lowndes set a time of 2min 11s in his V8, and Button managed a 2min 17s. Lowndes then jumped into the McLaren, acclimatising immediately and clocking in at around 1min 49s - only one second slower than Button.

Here are some pictures I took from this historic day (unedited for lighting etc. - full hi-res versions will be uploaded to my Flickr page in coming days):


Jenson getting some opposite lock on coming out of the final turn


Jenson in the V8 Supercar


Craig in the McLaren - was hoping to get this shot with the big "Mount Panorama" in the background, and got it first go!

[FullMetalJack]

Nice photos.

I take it you enjoyed the day then?

[WeirdKerr]

2008 mclaren??

[Chewie]

2008 mclaren??

They'd have used the new car, but it would have been beaten by the saloon car! or broken down!

Jenson wanted some running time;

[Myrvold]

I don't think they are allowed to use 09/10 cars for that fast driving.

[the Masked Lapwing]

1 minute, 48 seconds - the REAL Answer to Life, the Universe and Everything.

[Cynon]

I remember saying on another forum that I'd love to see Jenson Button in NASCAR about three years ago. Seeing as the V8 Supercars are the closest thing to NASCAR outside of America, I'd be fine with seeing Jense in a V8 Supercar.

Wonderful picture of Lowndes in the McLaren, Enoch!

[patrick]

I hope you had a great day, that pic of Lowndes in the McLaren is brilliant. Are you attending the grand prix?

[TimmyB]

I don't think they are (or at least, if they are, they don't want anyone to know).

I will be though.

[Ed24]

Nice work! It seems that track knowledge won out over car knowledge in this case.

I am surprised that you and many others stayed at the bottom of the mountain though, the view from the top would have been much more interesting in my opinion.

[TomWazzleshaw]

1 minute, 48 seconds - the REAL Answer to Life, the Universe and Everything.

Button said there could be another 10 seconds out there if it was an actual GP weekend.

[DanielPT]

About 30 seconds less than the record lap. That is really amazing! Formula 1 are still the most surprising cars.

[the Masked Lapwing]

About 30 seconds less than the record lap. That is really amazing! Formula 1 are still the most surprising cars.

I hope you mean 30 seconds less than Button's prediction, not his actual time.

[DanielPT]

About 30 seconds less than the record lap. That is really amazing! Formula 1 are still the most surprising cars.

I hope you mean 30 seconds less than Button's prediction, not his actual time.

I mean the difference between high 1m 30s and 2m 06s. Curiously, it is also the difference between 2min 17s and 1m 48s, both Button's time...

[eytl]

I am surprised that you and many others stayed at the bottom of the mountain though, the view from the top would have been much more interesting in my opinion.

Yeah I agree. But by the time we got there it was too late to get the top of the mountain. Plus I was with two other people and I didn't think it would have been too polite for me to run around all over the place looking for the best photo opportunity. And I've never been trackside at Bathurst before, so once I found a half-decent spot, discretion was the better part of photographic valour.