"I only did 2 laps, wish I could have done more..."

Jenson Button took his McLaren for a spin around the legendary Mount Panorama circuit on Tuesday as part of a sponsorship event for Vodafone. The track, home to the iconic Bathurst 1000 endurance race that currently forms part of the V8 Supercar championship, hadn't played host to an F1 car until Jenson turned in his laps and the Brit was

"This place is fantastic. Television just doesn't do it justice," Button said after his run. "When I drove around earlier in a Mercedes road car it even felt fast."

Button set a new track record for the circuit, albeit in a much faster vehicle than is usually raced there, before getting behind the wheel of a Triple Eight Engineering-prepared V8 Supercar.

"I think I'm going to have more fun in the V8 car than the F1 because you can actually use all the kerbs and get a good flow. I'm really excited about the challenge," said the 2009 world champion.

"It's the second time I'll be driving a V8 and I've got so many good memories of watching the V8s on TV and hopefully one day I get to drive one for real and it not just be four laps.

"I was holding on tight all the way. It takes everything out of you. It was the experience I've wanted to have for many years and I've finally done it. In a way it's probably not a good thing because it's made me more hungry to come back."

In Pictures

Thanks to Vue Images