Button escapes car-jacking

[FB]

Just spotted this on the BBC website. JB was the target of an attempted car jacking but his drivers managed to get him to safety.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11704802

Makes you wonder about the safety of such highly paid sports stars in such potentially dangerous countries. I recall on the US GP thread some discussions about the problems in Mexico and how dangerous a race there could be.

 

[RickD]

Security for F1 drivers in Brazil?

Following the story about the attempted car-jacking of Jenson Button in Sau Paulo, does this raise questions about Interlagos and the security of the area? For years we have heard about the drivers, commentators and even foreign fans being advised to not leave their hotels without security escorts, but with this attempt, surely something else needs to be worked out.

I would suggest that this is the last thing an F1 driver needs just before a Grand Prix, but what additional measures can be taken apart from moving the GP to another venue? No other current venue has this kind of reputation and if this kind of thing is likely to happen, surely the FIA and FOM seriously need to look into security arrangements?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11704802

 

[RickD]

Sorry, missed this when I posted my article..

 

[Brogan]

Merged

 

[RickD]

Cheers Bro.

 

[Speshal]

Re: Security for F1 drivers in Brazil?

but what additional measures can be taken

Clear the street and let Jenson drive back to the hotel.

 

[RickD]

What, in his F1 car?

Seriously though, does anyone think that the car-jackers cold have seen something to do with McLaren and thought it might be Lewis in the car?

 

[tooncheese]

I seem to rember in 2008 four toyota mechanics being atacked in sao paulo. They proabably didnt look local, hence being singled out for the attack. As for button, i expect they just saw an armoured car without knowing which driver was in it. Is certainly very worrying the level of crime in brazils cities. I know somone who teaches in a school just outside of the favelas, and he has to have and armed gaurd just to walk half a mile into them.

 

[sportsman]

"With news emerging on Sunday morning that several Sauber engineers were robbed last night, Button hopes some lessons can be learned.

"It is a horrible thing to happen," he said. "I feel fine now. There is obviously a lot of attention because it is the first time it's a driver that has been held up, but hopefully it will show the dangers that are here and we will take more care."


http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/88026

 

[ATL11]

The McLaren team had armoured cars, think they knew something was going to happen......

 

[FB]

John Watson, on 5Live this morning, commented that back in the late 70's in Argentina they were taken by armoured convoy from airport to hotel to track. I enjoy F1 racing but not enough that the drivers lives are at risk anywhere other than on the track (as that's their choice).

India next year...

More crass comments from Bernie on the situation as well:

“They look for victims, they look for people who are a little bit slow and simple, but the people who look a bit bright, they never go after them.

 

[AlexM]

“They look for victims, they look for people who are a little bit slow and simple, but the people who look a bit bright, they never go after them.

I wouldn't want to count how many times they've gone after Bernie then..

 

[Grizzly]

..everyone knows you can't shoot a hologram

 

[ZakspeedYakspeed]

On our (fairly average) Speed TV coverage in the US, the roving pitlane reporter, Will Buxton, collared Bernie on the grid before the start and asked about the Button incident, safety, etc... Bernie replied (paraphrased) "well, there are so many stories out there you don't know what happened, I heard someone tried to sell him a hat"...

 

[FB]

Here's an interesting development "Brazilian report suspects Button attack 'hoax'"

http://www.motorsport.com/news/article. ... 4427&FS=F1

I can't see how Jenson would benefit from making such a story up but I can understand why the Brazilian authorities would want to suggest it wasn't true.

 

[RickD]

That doesn't make sense FB, unless of course Jense didn't know about it and the security team wanted to guarantee their services or get more money for their services in future..

 

[Muddytalker]

That doesn't make sense FB, unless of course Jense didn't know about it and the security team wanted to guarantee their services or get more money for their services in future..

If my security team knew how to acquire hairy-scary men with guns and baseball bats, and would do so just for a pay-rise, I'd be looking for another security team...

 

[RickD]

First things first, you would have to find out it was them who hired the thugs.. Not the easiest thing to do..