Top racing driver Jenson Button swapped a racing car for a stunt bike when filming at Mitcham’s new BMX track.
The British 2009 F1 champion visited the new floodlit track in Acacia Road last month to film a television advertisement for Hugo Boss.
The track is built to regional standards and, at 340m, is the second longest in London, after the Olympic track in Stratford.
Councillor Nick Draper, Merton Council’s cabinet member for community and culture, said: “The BMX track has been an ambition for Merton for some time.
“It has been a triumph of will over adversity and we have worked very hard to create key partnerships and raise the funding needed to make this happen.
“I am really pleased, in this Olympic year, we can at last give it to the young people of Mitcham.”
The BMX track, partly funded by Merton Council and St Marks Academy, will provide some free and discounted use to the academy and primary schools.
Beyond this, visitors will have to pay to use the facility but the aim is to make the venue affordable to residents.
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