Thursday September 23rd, 1999

Michael Schumacher invited the Ferrari team members and their immediate associates for an evening's karting last night, before the start of the European Grand Prix weekend. It's the third time that the team's number one driver has invited team members to the Michael Schumacher Karting Centre at Kerpen, not far from the Nurburgring, for an evening's karting. Michael played the perfect host for the evening at the indoor kart centre which included a buffet supper and drinks.

The main event of the evening was a 45 minute kart race. The 80 or so guests were able to practise early in the evening, before they were divided up into 11 teams with up to six drivers each. In the past Michael usually jumped into the losing team's kart in an effort to haul them up the order - although not this year.

The only driving Michael did on Wednesday evening was to chauffeur his daughter, Gina-Maria, very slowly around the circuit, the two and a half year old sitting on his lap. But Michael's aim, he says, is still to race in the last two Grands Prix of the year. He will be testing next week in an effort to test his fitness following his accident at the British Grand Prix in which suffered a broken leg.

The evening started at 8 pm although many of the Ferrari mechanics didn't arrive until 10pm as their flight was delayed. Among team members to race was sporting director Jean Todt and team manager Stefano Domenicali. The winners were mainly Ferrari mechanics, while Jean Todt was in the second placed team and so, like all members of the first three teams, he received a trophy from the evening's host. "That's the first cup I've ever presented to you," noted Schumacher, who was supported by his wife Corinna and his father.

Michael went on to thank the team for their hard work during the year, adding that he was keeping his fingers crossed for them in their efforts to win both the Drivers' and Constructors' championships. Although the evening was principally a private affair, it was covered by Italy's RAI and Tele+ TV stations, and Germany's RTL station.