Sunday July 21st, 2002
Flying French Lesson
As if the build up to his home race was not tough enough, Frenchman Olivier Panis was forced to take to the skies for a helicopter lesson above the Magny-Cours circuit before the event began - and he hates flying. His British American Racing team cruelly made him tackle his fear by making him learn how to fly and although he found he actually enjoyed it, he immediately insisted that he will not be rushing back. "I don't think so, no," he said. "It was fun, but it won't be my new toy. I'm not that crazy about flying so I'll stick to my car, thanks!"
Panis travels to as many races as he can by car because of his fear of flying, but he did enjoy the views of Magny-Cours and the surrounding area as he soared overhead. "The view from up there was fantastic," he said. "We were having a look at all the different Chateaux. In Nevers there are lots of beautiful buildings and it was nice to be able to see some of them from the air."
But it was not just a sightseeing trip for Panis, like it was for a number of groups of journalists who were invited to take to the skies in the BAR chopper. Panis actually got to fly the machine, and realised that it has some similarities to his Honda-powered racing car. "In a way it has some of the same body feeling," he said. "Another similarity between both is that you have to exercise a lot of co-ordination. To be able to control a machine like that in the air must be very hard - you need to do so many different things just for the take-off and landing."
Flying Minardi Woes
Like Panis, Minardi's Alex Sperafico took to the air at Magny-Cours, but it was not quite as well planned as the British American Racing event. The cash-strapped team, who are having trouble keeping their F3000 outfit afloat, were devastated by a disastrous performance in the weekend's race which was over for Alex Sperafico before it had even started. The young pay driver was launched into a barrel roll as the cars headed for the final corner on the parade lap because he failed to see that the car of new racer Ted Bjork in front of him was slowing down.
"I don't know why the accident happened," he said, despite pictures showing the whole grid had slowed up and he had not. "Everybody was accelerating and Ted Bjork just didn't seem to accelerate. When I realised what was happening I could not avoid hitting the back of his car." It was a spectacular moment, but one that Minardi did not need as they will now have to fund the bill to repair the machine in time for next weekend's race at Hockenheim. The team described the event as "character building" while Sperafico simply said it was "a shame."
Driver Parade
The 19 drivers in the French Grand Prix ditched their usual podium truck for their Sunday morning drivers' parade and ventured out onto the track in a collection of old cars instead. Ferrari drivers Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello chose a silver Ferrari from early 1960s, while Renault placed their drivers on an old vintage machine the company produced many years earlier. But despite the considerable age of some of the machines, not even Minardi were lapped and all cars made it to the finish.
Motorhome Relaxation
British American Racing are rapidly cultivating a reputation as the kings of cool in the paddock, and at the French Grand Prix, they gave journalists a chance to chill out with massages in their motorhome. Two professional masseurs were brought into the paddock for a day to tend to the shoulders of weary workers, and it was a great success as journalist after journalist was left plodding down the stairs in dishevelled state after an invigorating session.
Published at 11:36:17 GMT
(03-11-2005): 
