Button completes first test of SMP LMP1 car
Ex-Formula 1 champion Jenson Button was left "smiling ear to ear" after completing his maiden run in SMP Racing's BR Engineering BR1 LMP1 car at Magny-Cours.
Button is set to make his FIA World Endurance Championship debut next month in the Le Mans 24 Hours after agreeing a deal to contest the full 2018/19 superseason alongside Vitaly Petrov and Mikhail Aleshin in SMP's #11 BR1-AER.
He missed last weekend's Spa opener due to clashing Super GT commitments, but he was able to turn his first laps in the Dallara-built prototype at Magny-Cours on Wednesday.
An SMP Racing representative told Motorsport.com: "We are very happy after the first test day with Jenson in Magny-Cours.
"He was immediately comfortable in the car and enjoyed a full testing day, including day and night runs.
"Jenson had a series of long and short stints and extracted most of the car in each run. The car was with the low-downforce aero kit, same as at recent race in Spa as we are preparing for Le Mans."
The Briton's next test in the BR1 will be the Le Mans test day on June 3, two weeks before the race.
Share Or Save This Story
Giuliano Alesi to return to Super Formula in Fuji car-sharing deal
Kakunoshin Ohta tops Super Formula Fuji test fresh from IMSA Watkins Glen round
The names to watch out for in Super Formula despite Rovanpera’s late dropout
Jenson Button identifies key reason behind Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari resurgence
Jenson Button gives verdict on Max Verstappen Red Bull exit: "Frustrated with the situation"
Jenson Button names key figure behind Kimi Antonelli's stunning Mercedes form
Sirotkin joins GT World Challenge Europe enduros with SMP
Toyota not surprised by reduced WEC LMP1 field
Opinion: Why SMP Racing's WEC exit should be no shock
Marc Marquez sets fitness target for upcoming MotoGP summer break
Alex Marquez explains German GP crash: “Maybe I was too confident”
I'm a real title contender now, declares Ai Ogura
Guenther Steiner urges FIA to increase use of AI after British GP safety car backlash
Why Le Mans wasn't a manufactured illusion
You Ask The Questions: Robert Kubica
Why a classic Le Mans 24 Hours should have delivered more
How Toyota pulled off its most significant Le Mans victory
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments