Yesterday in this blog for reasons of space I cut a paragraph about Paul McCartney. I was going to talk about how nice it is when the VVVIP du jour is someone you recognise, rather than Mr Shaky-Hand Suit Man who might be the local King, Prime Minister or just an anonymous billionaire with a hankering to sponsor you.
It might not seem massively relevant, but when you’re accidentally in the wrong place at the wrong time and don’t know whether to nod, bow or steal their wallet, it can get a bit uncomfortable. Anyway, I’m glad I didn’t write this about Macca, as there’s always an exception that proves the rule.
Former team boss Eddie Jordan, who provides the colour along with David Coulthard on the BBC’s live transmissions from the paddock, asked Sir Paul to sign the Sgt Pepper-style tunic he wore in India (to be auctioned for the BBC’s Children In Need charity).
After Sir Paul cheerfully obliged, Eddie said ‘thanks George’. It was a source of much mirth in Abu Dhabi this morning. But Eddie is not alone in muddling up his Beatles. George Harrison himself – a great friend and neighbour of F1 legend Jackie Stewart – was once turned away from a paddock motorhome as the – painfully young – hospitality staff didn’t know who he was.
There have been plenty of incidents down the years of a journalist trolling down to a struggling team to interview a promising young driver and getting that sinking feeling, midway through the conversation, that they’re actually talking to the wrong promising young driver.
Back in 2004, Minardi’s Gianmaria Bruni and Zsolt Baumgartner went through it regularly. If they kept their helmets on, there was no problem. It’s not just journalists though, the odd team principal has been known to have the same problem – and doubtless will again next week when a whole host of eager youngsters get a chance to play with the big boys toys in the Young Drivers’ Test here at Yas Marina.
And then there are other memory lapses. Fernando Alonso claimed today’s second place made him more than usually happy as it completes his set of trophies. In this, his 73rd visit to the podium, Fernando pointed out to the world that he now has a podium trophy from every single track he’s raced on in Formula One.
It’s a nice little human interest story and one picked up by plenty of the press who dutifully trotted it out. The problem is it's not true. Fernando’s memory is playing tricks on him: he raced for both Minardi and Renault in the Austrian Grand Prix and not one sniff of silverware did he see – in fact on both occasions he failed to finish.
But I’m not going to be the one to tell him…
Want More?
- George Harrison: Living in the Material World
- F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Race report & reaction
- Read Sebastian Vettel's post race blog from Abu Dhabi
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