Button escapes 160mph shunt

The 20-year-old made his first big mistake as a Formula One driver. Having avoided the drama of the day before that saw Mika Hakkinen, Michael Schumacher and David Coulthard all spin, he joined the off-road club on the second day.

Button had been an impressive fifth fastest when the accident happened. He ripped both left side wheels off his car and it hammered into the barriers and then came to a halt half on the circuit, forcing marshals to stop practice after just 15 minutes of action.

'I'm okay,' he said. 'I have been told both corners have been taken off the car but they can repair it.

'I was very quick and pushing very hard in the first sector when I clipped a kerb and lost it.'

The regulations prevented Button using the spare car in second practice, but he will be able to use it for qualifying later today.