Paris - Dakar - Nürburgring

Desert sand dunes and Bedouin tents are not what one expects in the Eifel mountains that provide the backdrop to this weekend’s grand prix, but that is exactly what Red Bull Germany created for the Formula 1 media to have some pre-weekend fun on Thursday. The event, attended by race drivers from Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso, was held in a very dusty quarry – its hot and dry here at the moment – and featured just about every form of powered vehicle.

Like most race drivers, David Coulthard is not a good passenger and found his ride alongside Paris Dakar man, Giniel de Villiers in the VW Touareg he used on this year’s gruelling Rally Raide, a bit stressful: “Obviously I had confidence in his ability,” bluffed DC, “but it was a bit nerve wracking as the dust meant I could not see where he was going.” Expert Moto-X riders and quad bike pilots were on hand to give the media some top class tuition, but our race drivers wisely kept away from anything where they might risk damaging themselves.

Running no risk at all were this weekend’s Formula Una ladies. They were on hand to add a bit of glamour, lounging around in the Bedouin style tents and, even more strangely, some white sofas which had simply been stuck in the middle of the quarry! Very surreal.

Just No Ide

A bad play on the word “Idea,” but poor old Yuji Ide is no longer a grand prix driver. On “advice offered by the FIA,” the Super Aguri team has dropped the Japanese driver and replaced him with last year’s Renault third man, Franck Montagny.