Jenson Button will skip the first of three pre-Christmas tests next week after cracking two ribs in a go-kart crash.
A Honda statement on Friday said the 26-year-old race driver sustained the hairline cracks ‘whilst participating in a karting test scheduled as part of his winter preparation’.
“As a result, Jenson will not take part in next week’s test to ensure that the condition is not further aggravated,” the statement explained.
Instead, his 2007 teammate Rubens Barrichello will take the wheel of the Bridgestone-shod RA106 cars at Barcelona, supported by new test driver Christian Klien and James Rossiter.
