Button gets stranded in the Baja desert

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Jenson Button made his off-road debut this weekend, tackling the grueling 800-mile-long Baja 1000, off-road racing's most prestigious event.

On-board their Sky-sponsored truck (pictured hereunder ahead of its brutal trip ) entered by Rocket Motorsport, the name of the karting team founded by his late father John Button, the 2009 F1 world champion and his co-driver Terry Madden enjoyed a good start to their Mexican excursion.

But at mile 235, a broken differential ultimately left the pair stranded in the desert and under the stars for 17 hours!

"We come away from the Baja1000 with a story to tell, not the one we wanted but a great Baja story all the same," Button wrote on social media.

"A life experience but not the one I expected but I’ll take it," concluded the Briton.

Tell us more JB!

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.