Saturday March 11th, 2000

British driver Jenson Button walked away unscathed from the first big crash of his Formula One career during Saturday's practice for Sunday's season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

The 20-year-old Williams driver, who will be making his debut as Britain's youngest Formula One starter, hit a wall of tyres at 160mph after clipping a kerb on a sweeping left-hander.

The impact ripped both rear wheels off his car and the session was stopped for 10 minutes while his wrecked Williams was cleared from the circuit.

Button did not take any part in the remainder of the session, watching the practice on television from the Williams garage. "I'm OK. I was going very fast," he said. "I hit the kerb. I went off."