Button would relish Dakar challenge

In case Jensen Button didn't have enough on his plate already this season, the British Formula One World Champion has announced an interest in contesting the Dakar Rally when he eventually retires from F1.

"I want to do the Dakar, which would be quite fun, that is on at the moment and I would like to do that," said Button at Autosport International.

Clearly enamoured with the idea that taking part in the gruelling rally marathon would only be for enjoyment, Button indicated that he would only like to take part as a privateer, and not for one of the Dakar works teams.

"If you get into one of the top teams and you are racing for them, it is just so much pressure. I would want to go there and enjoy the race," he said.

The Dakar is a brutal cross-continent rally known for stretching even well-prepared teams to breaking point. Conceived in 1978, the rally was originally run between Paris and Dakar in Senegal, but security issues brought the event to South America in 2009.

Rally legend Carlos Sainz won this year's event in a Volkswagen Race Touareg, finishing just two minutes and 12 seconds ahead of his teammate, Nasser Al-Attiyah.