Jenson Button has escaped unharmed from an attempted armed robbery on Saturday night after qualifying, when armed assailants approached his car.
The current world champion was travelling with his father John, physio Mike Collier and manager Richard Goddard, said a statement released by McLaren.
It’s been reported that six men, armed with automatic weapons attempted to enter the car whilst it was stopped in traffic.
The statement continued: “On Saturday evening on the way back from the Interlagos circuit to Morumbi, armed would-be assailants made an attempt to approach the car that was carrying Jenson Button.
“Neither Jenson nor the other occupants of the car were hurt.
“Vodafone McLaren Mercedes had provided both Jenson and team-mate Lewis Hamilton with reinforced armoured vehicles driven by police drivers, who had been trained in avoidance techniques and were armed.
“The police driver of Jenson’s vehicle reacted swiftly and, using avoidance techniques, rapidly forced his way through the traffic, taking Jenson and the other occupants of the car immediately away from any danger and back to their hotel.”
