Vodafone Bathurst F1 Lap Record

Ahead of defending his Australian F1 race grand prix crown, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes ace and 2009 World Champion Jenson Button wrote history today, becoming the first-ever race driver to take on Australia’s iconic Mount Panorama circuit in a F1 race car.

The historic event proved to be irresistible to motorsport fans, with thousands flocking to line the Mount Panorama circuit to see an Formula 1 car soar around the legendary track. Button completed five laps in the MP4-23 car, before five-times Bathurst champion, TeamVodafones Craig Lowndes, himself wrote his own new chapter in Australian motorsport history, becoming the first-ever Australian driver to pilot a Formula 1 car around the famous Mount Panorama circuit.

The pair soared as the circuit lap record was smashed by both drivers, Button clocking a staggering 1min 48sec with Lowndes just 1 second behind.

A story by Simon Canning in The Australian newspaper today has hailed the Vodafone F1 Driver Swap in Bathurst as an outright media success!

The story goes on to say…

“The day-long stunt, estimated to have cost Vodafone Australia between $150,000 and $170,000, has reaped more than $3.4 million worth of positive media exposure for the brand in Australia alone.

And globally, the initiative, which grew out of an off-the-cuff remark by McLaren-Mercedes driver Jenson Button during an interview in Melbourne last year, may have generated more than $10m worth of media coverage for the brand.”