Jenson Button’s gone down a storm at an event in Japan designed to say thank you to Honda’s loyal motorsport fans for their support during 2008.
He appeared earlier this week at the annual Honda Racing Thanks Day at Honda’s Twin Ring Motegi Circuit in Japan, where he gave a demonstration of a road car and of his 2008 RA-108 F1 car in wet conditions to 25,000 people.
Alongside him were MotoGP rider Dani Pedrosa, IRL IndyCar Series driver Hideki Muto, Trials World Championship rider Takahisa Fujinami plus FIM Superbike World Championship riders Ryuichi Kiyonari and Carlos Checa.
Other attractions for the attendees to enjoy included track rides, a peek into an F1 cockpit, karting time trials, autograph sessions, driver interviews and a hot-air balloon experience.
Button said of the event: “I look forward to coming to the Honda Racing Thanks Day every year because our Japanese fans are so passionate and supportive. They welcome and cheer me on as much as my home British fans.
“This year I was able to demonstrate Honda’s European Civic Type-R road car in addition to the RA108, and it’s always great to see so many Japanese fans at the autograph session and talk show; it was a wonderful day.
“I would like to say a huge thank-you to all fans who cheered me on right up until the end of the event, in spite of the cold rain that they had to endure.”
