F1 News - Injured Button Misses Jerez
11/12/2006
Honda driver Jenson Button will miss this week's final test session of the year at Jerez. The Briton is still recovering from a rib injury that he sustained in a karting accident last month, and he will not now drive Bridgestone's new-for-2007 tyres until the New Year.
"We have been monitoring Jenson's rib injury," said a Honda Racing F1 Team spokesperson, "and to ensure that the healing process continues unabated, we have taken the decision that he will not drive at this week's test."
Jenson, who attended the UK's BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards last night, will still attend the three-day test and take part in the engineering and tyre meetings, much like he did in Barcelona at the first test session of the winter.
Rubens Barrichello has returned to Brazil this week, leaving Honda's driving duties in Jerez to their third driver Christian Klien and their test driver James Rossiter. On Friday, IndyCar rookie Marco Andretti - grandson of 1978 World Champion Mario - will get his first taste of F1 behind the wheel of the RA106 Concept Car.