Jenson Button suffered in his Nascar debut

Jenson Button, learning the hard way in Nascar. The world champion of F1 2009 ran its first Nascar race on Sunday, at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin (United States). Under the Texan heat, the Briton suffered to reach the finish line in 18th place. “I finished 18th after almost stopping because of the heat. It was so hot, explained the 39-year-old pilot. I don't have a fan in my seat, which didn't really help. »

Button even admitted that he was afraid of passing out behind the wheel of his Ford Mustang during the 68 laps of the race. “I stopped twice for a minute. They put ice on me, gave me lots of water and I left. I was on the verge of getting out of the car because I thought I was going to pass out. I must have drunk eight to nine bottles of water during the race. The team kept me calm, and that's why we got a good result in the end. So I'm happy. »

Button took a while to find the rhythm

A painful first experience but rewarded by a finish in the top 20. The English driver's perseverance paid off, in a race where his physique and nerves were put to the test (with three overtimes and 3h30 of competition). In a car that is the polar opposite of what Jenson Button has experienced in his career, the Briton experienced a real emotional lift.

“At first it was terrible. I had never taken a two-wide turn so often. I tried to put my car in the right place and got it wrong every time. (…) The first stint was very bad. It was embarrassing for me. I said to myself : 'Okay, guys, we need to come to the pits, freshen the tires and give me some air. I need some fresh air.' That's what I did. Then the pace was good, the regularity was good. I was really happy and overtook a few cars, which was good. »

ALSO READ > Tyler Reddick wins strong at COTA