Well Wishers
I can’t actually think of a particularly justifiable reason for including a picture Tamara Ecclestone in this post, but she was helping Jenson raise funds for the Make a Wish foundation during the Silverstone weekend, and frankly that’s all the excuse one needs.
Ms E. and Button turned up for a photoshoot to plug the diamond anniversary of Silvertstone, both sporting limited edition Alpinestars t-shirts designed to celebrate the event. One of the shirts was signed by several F1 personalities and will be auctioned at the charity’s upcoming annual Summer Ball.
More relevant to us, but on similar lines, was the weekends showcase of the winning design from Button’s drawing competition. Apparently there were over seven thousand entries and the chosen artwork looked rather good, especially in the sunshine.
Some may argue that Christine’s efforts were much more akin to Button’s public image than Aries Janssens conceptual piece, but let’s no go down that route, eh?
The helmet will be auctioned alongside the signed t-shirt this coming Saturday.
Incidentally, there appears to be some serious confusion within the Ecclestone household right now, given that one family member is busily promoting the circuit while another is systematically tearing it to pieces.
July 9th, 2008 at 5:07 pmz-baumgartner said:
Christine, your helmets were way better!!
Did anyone else hearabout the photographer running across the track in hockenheim testing?
Apparently all photographers have now been banned for the remainder on the test.
I haven’t got an official source as yet so this may not be true!!
July 9th, 2008 at 6:16 pmDan Brunell said:
Random thought… is Tamara the best example of the Seinfeld’s “two-face” theory? I get a different opinion of her looks with every photo I randomly see of her.
I do like those t-shirts. I guess those are not available for purchased by us unwashed masses.
July 9th, 2008 at 6:18 pmme said:
comments on the renault blog say the same.
NandoFan:
“All photographers at the Hockenheim have been requested to return their photo-jackets as there has been an incident with one of the picture-snappers. One of the photographers would have been running across the circuit during the test session. Now all of the photographers have been punished as it was not permitted to take pictures today as well as tomorrow, on the last day of testing. Only the official FIA photographers will be allowed around the track and in the paddock tomorrow.”
July 9th, 2008 at 6:21 pmz-baumgartner said:
autosport have it now too http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/69006
They say that photographers were able to resume their work though after the incident.
July 9th, 2008 at 6:31 pmme said:
i think sometimes she chooses clothes that don’t particularly fit well:
http://www.mediastorehouse.com/image/Tamara-Ecclestone_549917.jpg
haven’t seen ‘em, but will keep me eyes open.
July 9th, 2008 at 6:47 pmDan Brunell said:
I just threw up in my mouth.
July 9th, 2008 at 6:56 pmme said:
did i just miss this over the weekend, or is ted breaking news in his own subtle way again?
http://www.itv-f1.com/Feature.aspx?Type=Ted_Kravitz
“David Coulthard, retiring at the end of the year just in time for the birth of his first child with fiancée Karen.”
July 9th, 2008 at 7:12 pmDank said:
I think that was mentioned in few articles shortly after DC’s announcement last week? Typical, I can’t find any examples now!
Can I also just say that I’m thoroughly impressed with the winning design for Button’s helmet as worn at the weekend. Especially since the tools on offer in the competition where the most basic and fiddly I’ve ever encountered!
July 9th, 2008 at 7:25 pmme said:
can me a cynic, but i’m suspicious more hasn’t been made of the original design rather than the finished product. i couldn’t be arsed to go through 7,000+ entries looking for it mind you!
July 9th, 2008 at 7:53 pmAlex Andronov said:
me, I had exactly the same reaction. Good old Ted. I think we need to get that fund up and running so we can hire him. The reminder that he also does touring cars does kind of suggest that he’ll probably be left at ITV. Very unfortunate.
July 9th, 2008 at 8:49 pmDan Brunell said:
She must be in her “I hate my father” stage of her life right now. At she is doing the opposite of what her father tells her to do in the F1 world. At least she has a little bit of class by supporting Silverstone. The normal route for a person of her celebrity is to date a guy with tatoos and have a sex tape leak out.
July 9th, 2008 at 8:53 pmAlianora La Canta said:
What a stupid photographer. Crossing the track when it is in use is already a dumb move. Doing it just to go to an area where you’re not allowed to be anyway (presumably for safety reasons) is near-suicidal. No wonder the FIA-accredited brigade were given a proper briefing (possibly polite terminology for a scolding) afterwards…
July 9th, 2008 at 8:53 pmRich said:
I agree - saw the design on the site and thought at the time it was a winner. Not all helmet designs got through to being put up on Jenson’s site. I think Jenson only selected what got put up.
Obviously the original design was neatened up considerably - but they kept the design elements. I have put up the original in drop.io
I tested their sense of humour (Jenson Button site) by submitting my dog looking a Sidepodcast video which featured Jenson to their Fan Gallery. To their credit they did see the funny side so you can see it at
http://www.jensonbutton.com/#/Gallery/FanPictures/
July 9th, 2008 at 8:56 pmme said:
is that it? have to say that’s a bit disappointing. there are better submissions in drop.io.
July 9th, 2008 at 8:58 pmme said:
you managed to get a picture of your dog looking at this site published on jenson’s website?
wow!
that’s easily on par with scott and lou’s shout outs
July 9th, 2008 at 8:59 pmRich said:
I would not want to be on the wrong side of ME after selecting that photo!
I felt the same way!
July 9th, 2008 at 8:59 pmChristine said:
Well, it seems to me that the biggest mistake was not designing a helmet exactly like the one he wears anyway. Silly us for trying something different!
July 9th, 2008 at 9:00 pmChristine said:
That’s brilliant.
July 9th, 2008 at 9:01 pmSteven Roy said:
Who is Aoife?
July 9th, 2008 at 9:04 pmme said:
no idea, i googled it in case it was spam or something. any claimants?
July 9th, 2008 at 9:08 pmSteven Roy said:
Aoife is an Irish girls name pronounced Eefa. I knew an Aoife when I lived in Paris many years ago and I have never seen the name before or since.
July 9th, 2008 at 9:11 pmme said:
i see, should we remove the image?
July 9th, 2008 at 9:12 pmAlex Andronov said:
I have met an Aoife in Oxford but she was also Irish.
July 9th, 2008 at 9:13 pmAlex Andronov said:
Our comments don’t really help with the point.
I can’t quite see how it is relevant to F1.
July 9th, 2008 at 9:19 pmme said:
tis gone
July 9th, 2008 at 11:07 pmMattw said:
Ted strikes Gold agsin.
Superb look at the problems effecting the Donnington track too.
Also, in the bit about McLaren, Ted suggested that in china, the decision to stay on the worn tyres was Hamilton’s?
Sorry if this is old news, but I must have missed that one - is this true?
July 10th, 2008 at 11:24 amStuart Codling said:
Sounds like it was a member of the public – no one knew who he was and he didn’t have a tabard. But they called everyone in to have their bottoms spanked anyway (probably not the right metaphor, given what’s going on in the courts at the moment).
Obviously if it happens again then zer vill be more of ze punishment, I think…
July 10th, 2008 at 11:34 amz-baumgartner said:
http://drop.io/sidepodcast/asset/1215684066
Toyota anvil wing!!
July 10th, 2008 at 1:20 pmz-baumgartner said:
http://drop.io/sidepodcast/asset/fjcs4uzx11
http://drop.io/sidepodcast/asset/07kfh9kn10
Toyota are also trying out different rear wing endplates which look sort of like those used by ferrari at monza
July 10th, 2008 at 1:44 pmLe BOL said:
Cool! We’re getting closer to the full grid of anvil-winged cars! Fantastic!
July 10th, 2008 at 2:01 pmz-baumgartner said:
Button’s currently second!
July 10th, 2008 at 2:53 pmlou said:
July 10th, 2008 at 3:01 pmlou said:
oh in testing…….
July 10th, 2008 at 3:06 pmz-baumgartner said:
Now he’s first!!
Qualifying laps maybe?
July 10th, 2008 at 3:14 pmlou said:
yeah i should think so, I would love to believe that was race pace…. but somehow i don’t think so
July 10th, 2008 at 3:34 pmz-baumgartner said:
http://www.f1today.nl/live-update/2008/07/10/hockenheimring/
massa back on top but button isn’t far behind.
Massa’s within a tenth of hamilton’s time from yesterday
July 10th, 2008 at 3:34 pmz-baumgartner said:
Alonso causes a red flag
July 10th, 2008 at 3:59 pmlou said:
thanks for the link z-baumgartner
July 10th, 2008 at 4:13 pmRich said:
Cool Green* Cars - I am giving my students an exercise on what actually is a green car and will green motoring be a solution to climate change. Well most green cars are not hugely exciting - there is a new VW two seater that could see the market in 2010 that can do 235 MPG but will cost close to 30 000 Euro and can only do 75 mph. Looks exciting even if it only has a 1.7 gallon fuel tank (to save weight). So I wanted to find the coolest car that you could claim as green* and actually buy it now viz is still in production**. I decided that the Dutch hand-built Carvers are the best examples. They have a three cyclinder 660 cc Daihatsu engine (heck that is one small engine), look exciting and well I found a video of Jenson Button trying it out (so by definition that makes it cool and that links this comment to this posting). Have put it up on the drop.io for the Jenson Button fans.
I want to know what other “green” cars that you can consider to be cool as well? Sir Stirling Moss drives a smart For Two so we know his choice.
*Green cars need to be fuel efficient and light on resources used to manufacture with potentially as much recyclable parts - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
**At some point Lou indicated her dream car as a Peel 50 (well as a bit of a joke). Its green since it does 100 mpg - but is a two-stroke (not so green) and not been in production for forty years - but it remains cool.
July 10th, 2008 at 4:36 pmStuart Codling said:
If you’re interested in the Donington thing, there’s a full story in Autosport this week by Edd Straw (the chap who’s taken over from Steve Cooper). There’s even a map of the putative circuit layout A cut-down version of the article is here:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/69022
July 10th, 2008 at 6:37 pmLe BOL said:
Cahier name is firmly in the headlines this week, not sure if somebody mentioned it before but Cahier Snr. has died, rather sad news. All’s on grandprix.com
He had a fascinating life it seems, Joe must write another book and fill it with his photos, I’d be the 1st to order it.
July 10th, 2008 at 8:19 pmSteven Roy said:
Rich,
The Japanese have a whole class of cars (microcars) with 660cc engines and max length 10ft 8in or something similar. They get tax breaks etc. It may be worth trying to research them but I am not sure how cool any of them are.
Sorry to hear about Bernard Cahier. I thought he died years ago. I wonder why I thought that.
July 10th, 2008 at 10:02 pmAlianora La Canta said:
Sad to hear about Bernard Cahier’s death
July 10th, 2008 at 10:06 pmlou said:
RIP Bernard Cahier
July 10th, 2008 at 10:31 pmGaulty said:
What the guys above say, RIP Cahier.
July 10th, 2008 at 10:43 pmme said:
agreed. love to see that book too.
July 10th, 2008 at 10:46 pmme said:
haven’t bought it yet, will do tomorrow.
we’re so far behind this week, it’s just not funny.
July 10th, 2008 at 10:57 pmLe BOL said:
Yeah, staying on the subject of photography: was checking out Darren Heath site, it turns out the guy has some weird taste for suspended shots of drivers jumping and hanging in the air, very arty stuff. I like his Lewis-in-the-air-Jesus-Christ BGP podium pic; in France he grabbed Massa’s feet “flying”. Must take a look at other GP pics from this year. I hope he caught Fisico’s car suspended above Nakajima (I think) at the start of the Turkish race.
http://www.darrenheath.com/portfolio.htm?year=2008&cat=1&sub=38
July 10th, 2008 at 10:57 pmlou said:
aw
at least you have the joys of goodwood to look forward to 
Is Christine feeling any better?
July 10th, 2008 at 11:11 pmLe BOL said:
Hmm, no flying Fisico but cool photos from Darren.
I was thunderstruck by this shocking discovery but Kaz is now equal on points with Nico… Who could’ve foreseen a situation like this?
July 10th, 2008 at 11:16 pmme said:
50/50. we’re not going to do goodwood tomorrow. will do a blog post about plans later.
hopefully all will be fine for saturday.
anyone going tomorrow?
July 10th, 2008 at 11:29 pmLe BOL said:
Found a nice phrase on grandprix.com: “The chassis was agricultural…”
Amazing!
Unless somebody leaves me a million euros I’m not going.
July 10th, 2008 at 11:35 pmlou said:
i think poppy said she was…
July 10th, 2008 at 11:40 pmlou said:
oh
poor her. I hope she gets better really soon. 
fingers crossed
July 10th, 2008 at 11:54 pmme said:
damn. any idea if she’s going again sat / sun? wanted to catch up with her and chat about jewellery.
July 10th, 2008 at 11:56 pmlou said:
er she said she was just there for the friday…. sketching and stuff… ooo jewellery
July 10th, 2008 at 11:59 pmSteven Roy said:
I think Poppy said she was only going Friday.
For anyone not familiar with the work of Bernard or Paul-Henri Cahier I recommend the Cahier Archive at http://www.f1-photo.com/ It contains fabulous photos going back almost to the start of the world championship.
Hope Christine is better soon.
July 11th, 2008 at 12:41 amme said:
yeah, i don’t normally go out of my way for shiny stuff, but she makes some nice things.
rats, and double rats.
July 11th, 2008 at 12:57 amlou said:
oooooo lol I love jewellery. I have a necklace that I wear pretty much every day, it’s lovely. It’s a silver chain with an f1 car pendant on it
July 11th, 2008 at 9:09 amStuart Codling said:
Indeed. He was a true gent as well as being the founding father of F1 photojournalism. Like those other now-departed legends, Jabby Crombac and Denis Jenkinson, he was a genuine eccentric in an increasingly conformist age.
Also, unlike many others who earn their living from the sport, he put a lot back in to Formula 1.
July 11th, 2008 at 10:58 amSteven Roy said:
I have just started Crombac’s boo on Chapman and Lotus. I thought I knew a bit about the subject but after 50 pages I have found out that I knew nothing. I guess that’s what happens when someone on the inside for so long writes about a company.
July 11th, 2008 at 11:10 amStuart Codling said:
J Crombac was a character. We were doing an article about Michael Schumacher several years ago – I think it was when he was steamrollering everyone in 2002 – and the idea for the story was to get a few people who’d been around for a while to comment on Schumacher’s greatness.
Jabby was going to some but not all the GPs by then. I rang him up and explained what we were hoping to do.
“Dear boy,” he said in his marvellously urbane tone, “Michael Schumacher has great skill, but I can’t rank him among the pantheon of greats because he is a s**t – or, perhaps more appropriate, a c**t.”
July 11th, 2008 at 11:25 amme said:
…aaaand breath.
July 11th, 2008 at 11:31 amSteven Roy said:
Crombac always could accurately sum up a situation in a few words. Sums up Schumacher’s position very nicely. A record second to none, skill to rival the best but….
July 11th, 2008 at 1:03 pmLe BOL said:
Yeah, but I miss the man, he was such a perfect villain, the only problem I have with him is 2002 Austrian GP and France 1999 when Edmund had to settle for 6th behind the Schum and thus lost his title. USA 2005? To race like that was a pure comedy!
All in all, he never lost focus (well, maybe a couple of mistakes here and there) and kept scoring points whenever it was possible. And his lovely crashes? VS Hill in 1994? VS JV in Jerez 1997? And the tasty Rascassegate when you knew he did it and then couldn’t explain even to himself why? Monaco 2004 with his helmet flying? Quarrel with DC at Spa in 1998? Or with Sato in 2005? Man, you don’t get this level of entertainment these days. Although, last race was pretty good in terms of events on track.
Last time I had so much fun was when Fisico went to see JV during the qualifying in Nurburgring in 2006 and bang on his helmet.
I’m also paying tribute to the Schum on my blog this week by posting his “quick gardener” pics.
July 11th, 2008 at 1:20 pmLe BOL said:
Ze quick gardener!
http://drop.io/sidepodcast/asset/theschum
July 11th, 2008 at 1:52 pmz-baumgartner said:
I just drove past a housing estate called moss bawn…
Was it some kind of nod to the honda chief?
July 11th, 2008 at 2:59 pmStuart Codling said:
There’s a “nice bush” gag in there somewhere…