Monday May 31st, 2004
Glock Knock
Jordan test driver Timo Glock appeared in the Porsche supercup at the Nurburgring on Sunday morning but he failed to impress in the highbrow tin-top race. Maybe the difference in power between the Jordan Ford he drove in the Friday practice and the machine he used to compete in the Porsche race on Sunday differed a little more than he expected when he put his foot down at the start, but there was little excuse for dropping from a respectable sixth on the grid, amongst the regular runners, all the way down to 13th place in a disastrous start. He showed his racing skills, however, by fighting through to eighth before getting stuck in the pack and he eventually finished seventh of the 19 runners after the 14-lap race.
Romping Good Time
The Jordan motorhome was filled with overactive hormones this weekend when their new sponsor Libid-X was unveiled - the herbal specialists manufacturer a natural rival to Viagra. The company handed out capsules to the intrigued journalists and allowed them to taste the lemon and cassis flavoured energy drinks that they promise give a "100 percent natural stimuli" through the use of plant extracts and no chemicals. "It not only increases your sexual powers but also your condition and energy level," said the Dutch company. But the event was ended before the love-in began.
Indy 500
Honda put on a special evening on Sunday for the fanatical motor racing journalists who had not got enough of a fix from the exciting racing at the Nurburgring. The engine manufacturer, which also runs in the IRL IndyCar championship, kept the paddock buzzing into the night when they tuned their satellite into the Indy 500 and showed it live. Unfortunately what should have been an early evening did not start until late because the race appeared to have switched weather with the traditional Nurburgring climate. While sunshine drenched the paddock on race day in Germany, rain soaked the oval circuit in the United States - and the race was delayed so much that some journalists were able to fly to England and watch the final few laps, run under full-course yellow flags, from the comfort of their own homes.
Bat For Brawn
Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn is a quintessential Englishman and, in being so, he is a true fan of cricket. Thanks to Ferrari sponsors Vodafone, the burly Brit has met several of his favourite sports stars but in the Nurburgring this weekend he was handed a very special present - when they presented him with a cricket bat, signed personally to Brawn, from one of their guests for the weekend, Indian cricket star Sachin Tendulkar.
Published at 14:12:28 GMT
(03-11-2005): 
