Button attack one of many

Posted on 08/11/2010

Jenson Button arrives at the circuit the morning after his attempted car-jacking © Getty Images

Although it was Jenson Button's attempted car-jacking that grabbed the off-track headlines in Brazil over the weekend, it has emerged that this was only one of a number of incidents involving F1 team personnel falling victim to armed gangs.

Three Sauber engineers were robbed at gunpoint after they stopped at a traffic light, a group of photographers had their cameras stolen, a radio producer was relieved of his wallet and car keys, and even local driver Lucas di Grassi admitted to being mugged.

"A guy walked up to the car, tapped a gun in his belt and I handed over the watch," said the Virgin driver.

Sir Jackie Stewart went as far as saying that the attempted Button attack may even have been a kidnapping attempt.

"Drug barons don't go out to kill people but kidnap them because they are linked to rich multinational companies. In Jenson's case that means Vodafone and Mobil," said Stewart.