Saturday April 27th, 2002
Ferrari's Crazy Photo Day
It seemed Ferrari had everything so well under control on track in Barcelona during the opening day's running on Friday that they felt they had to do something to make themselves look stupid. Brazilian driver Rubens Barrichello kindly obliged by putting on a pair of joke glasses with eyeballs on springs as he sat in the pits during the practice session.
But that, it appeared, was not enough. Later, the entire team combined for a group photo in the pit lane for their mobile phone sponsors Vodafone, with each member, including team boss Jean Todt, drivers Michael Schumacher and Barrichello, and technical director Ross Brawn, pretending to be talking on Vodafone mobiles. But far from portraying a 'cool and trendy' image the company was aiming for, the confused and amused looks on all their faces made it look more like they were embarrassed to be using their sponsors' equipment.
Bridgestone is Go-Go-Go
Tyre manufacturers Bridgestone offered the Formula One journalists a chance to show what real racing is when they put on a karting event just outside the Circuit de Catalunya on Friday night. There was plenty of barging and wheel-banging on the track but, thankfully, no accidents as the racing writers battled for pride in the competitive environment.
But, unsurprisingly, it was not a group of journalists who took victory in the team event but a team led by German racing driver Andre Lotterer. Embarrassingly for Bridgestone, Lotterer, the Jaguar test driver, was clad in the team's all-green overalls carrying a certain inappropriate logo - because, of course, Jaguar use tyres from Bridgestone's rubber rivals Michelin.
Crazy Art
Now we know what British American Racing do with their scrap Formula One car parts - they turn them into art. Team member Alistair Gibson showed BAR are keen to recycle with a show of his own crazy artform - model sharks made from old Grand Prix car parts. The team revealed their new 'Tribe Art' initiative at an exclusive launch in London this week, with team boss David Richards and the two drivers, Jacques Villeneuve and Olivier Panis, in attendance. Artistic creator Gibson remarked: "I'm hugely excited about Tribe Art because it will be great to see what other people think of my work. At the moment I have only shown friends and they are bound to say it's good aren't they!"
I Should Be So Lucky
Jacques Villeneuve was distracted as he passed through the British American Racing motorhome at lunchtime on Friday when he spotted a certain singer on the five widescreen televisions around the dining area. A smile grew on his face as he turned his head between a friend and the screens and quietly whispered away in secret. Oh to have been a fly on the wall - because the girl in question, gyrating away to her latest track, was one Kylie Minogue, sister of Villeneuve's former flame Dannii.
Published at 09:49:47 GMT
(03-11-2005): 
