Paddock Postcard from Silverstone 11 Jul 2010
The social side of the British Grand Prix began as early as last Monday with the F1™ Party in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, at London’s Natural History Museum, featuring a private gig from the Sugababes.
Santander supported the party for a fourth year to raise funds for the hospital’s new heart and lung Centre. Bernie Ecclestone was host and his daughter Tamara was the creative director and helped to plan and oversee the event.
The evening was MC’d by Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity patrons Tess Daly and Vernon Kay, who were later guests at the track, along with other familiar British TV faces including celebrity chef James Martin, who lent his cooking skills to the Force India motorhome.
And following the Grand Prix Ball on Friday, the paddock oozed high-profile visitors. Royalty was represented by HRH Prince Andrew, who visited Lotus Racing, and HRH Prince Michael of Kent, while familiar faces from the racing world included Nigel Mansell (as the official FIA stewards’ advisor); Damon Hill, mother Bette and sister Brigitte and her film maker husband Roger; Kenny Acheson; John Watson; Derek Warwick; John Surtees; and Mike Conway, recovering from his recent IRL shunt.
Also present were Carlos Sainz Snr; Jackie Stewart; Andy Priaulx; Gil de Ferran and his wife Angela; Jonathan and Jolyon Palmer; Philippe Streiff; Davina Galica; Tyler Alexander; Jo Ramirez; Davy Ryan; Mike Earle, Greg Field; FIA President Jean Todt; Alan Gow; Anthony and Linda Hamilton; Murray Walker and Hazel Chapman, who formally opened the new Lotus Racing motorhome on Sunday morning.
Mexico’s Carlos Slim, one of the world’s richest men, visited on Saturday and Sunday, as did a party representing the forthcoming Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, which included Tavo Hellmund; and the UK’s Shadow Welsh Secretary Peter Hain.
On-track on Saturday, rising Brit Jack Harvey won again in Formula BMW from Robin Frijns and polesitter Carlos Sainz, as Esteban Gutierrez took the GP3 honours from Ryo Haryanto and Nico Muller and Pastor Maldonado triumphed again in GP2 from Jules Bianchi and Dany Clos.
