PR / Personal Service Contracts / Flim-Flam Impositions on Drivers

Stuff like the Hamilton + horse nonsense reduces F1 to the level of
"Look, here's Madonna shopping on Sunset Bvd!" or "Oh, Brad is wearing
Armani today!"

Most drivers find it very hard to say no. They sign the Personal
Service contract for the big bucks, and that means "Hey Felipe, just
do a couple of vogue + break dance moves around this dispaly of
portable toilets, will you? And maybe wiggle a bit more this time?
Lovely!"

Mika Hakkinnen had to do a "walkabout" in a fucking COAL MINE for
god's sake, smiling all over his Finnish chops for some corporate PR
flak.

At a Silverstone testing day I saw Villeneuve doing a 20-yard walk-
towards-the-camera for a tire advert photo. He repeated it. They
asked him to do another try and he said (approx) fuck you guys, I'm a
racing driver, and went back to his pits.

Despite his nonconformist example, we must assume that some first-
three-rows prima donnas will acquiesce in caressing their soft faces
with Olay soap, or hyping a haemmorrhoid treatment.

brafield@hotmail.com wrote:
>snip
>At a Silverstone testing day I saw Villeneuve doing a 20-yard walk-
>towards-the-camera for a tire advert photo. He repeated it. They
>asked him to do another try and he said (approx) fuck you guys, I'm a
>racing driver, and went back to his pits.
>snip

I remember one of the course commentators at Brands Hatch sticking a
microphone in Tim Schenken's face on the start line and asking a
question. The response was (approx): "f**k off, I'm about to start a
Grand Prix for f**k's sake!"
Times change don't they?
--
Trevor

"Gongoozler" <trevor@ladyelg.fsnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:1cq8245hedm6obu6rqb8vf9p7n810fqqau@4ax.com...
> brafield@hotmail.com wrote:
>>snip
>>At a Silverstone testing day I saw Villeneuve doing a 20-yard walk-
>>towards-the-camera for a tire advert photo. He repeated it. They
>>asked him to do another try and he said (approx) fuck you guys, I'm a
>>racing driver, and went back to his pits.
>>snip
>
> I remember one of the course commentators at Brands Hatch sticking a
> microphone in Tim Schenken's face on the start line and asking a
> question. The response was (approx): "f**k off, I'm about to start a
> Grand Prix for f**k's sake!"
> Times change don't they?

I've been watching the 1993 CART season. They interview drivers *IN* the car
on the grid.. brilliant!!

Mike P

On May 9, 8:33 am, "Mike P" <priv...@privacy.net> wrote:
> "Gongoozler" <tre...@ladyelg.fsnet.co.uk> wrote in message
>
> news:1cq8245hedm6obu6rqb8vf9p7n810fqqau@4ax.com...
>
> > brafi...@hotmail.com wrote:
> >>snip
> >>At a Silverstone testing day I saw Villeneuve doing a 20-yard walk-
> >>towards-the-camera for a tire advert photo.  He repeated it.  They
> >>asked him to do another try and he said (approx) fuck you guys, I'm a
> >>racing driver, and went back to his pits.
> >>snip
>
> > I remember one of the course commentators at Brands Hatch sticking a
> > microphone in Tim Schenken's face on the start line and asking a
> > question. The response was (approx): "f**k off, I'm about to start a
> > Grand Prix for f**k's sake!"
> > Times change don't they?
>
> I've been watching the 1993 CART season. They interview drivers *IN* the c=
ar
> on the grid.. brilliant!!
>
> Mike P

In World of Outlaws they used to say "Don't even LOOK at Steve Kinser
for an hour before a race."
In the superbike scene it was the same for Carl Fogarty, with the
addition, if he hadn't won, "Don't walk within 10 feet of Fogarty for
a day or two after the race!"

I like to speculate the scene if a PR hack had gently grasped Denny
Hulme's arm (he'd need a biggish hand to do that) before or after a
race and asked "Denny, how would you describe your feelings, deep
inside, at this moment?"

<brafield@hotmail.com> skrev i melding
news:7172d4ed-0f95-4e9d-9438-8298bc58ed04@t12g2000prg.googlegroups.com...
On May 9, 8:33 am, "Mike P" <priv...@privacy.net> wrote:
> "Gongoozler" <tre...@ladyelg.fsnet.co.uk> wrote in message
>
> news:1cq8245hedm6obu6rqb8vf9p7n810fqqau@4ax.com...
>
> > brafi...@hotmail.com wrote:
> >>snip
> >>At a Silverstone testing day I saw Villeneuve doing a 20-yard walk-
> >>towards-the-camera for a tire advert photo. He repeated it. They
> >>asked him to do another try and he said (approx) fuck you guys, I'm a
> >>racing driver, and went back to his pits.
> >>snip
>
> > I remember one of the course commentators at Brands Hatch sticking a
> > microphone in Tim Schenken's face on the start line and asking a
> > question. The response was (approx): "f**k off, I'm about to start a
> > Grand Prix for f**k's sake!"
> > Times change don't they?
>
> I've been watching the 1993 CART season. They interview drivers *IN* the
> car
> on the grid.. brilliant!!
>
> Mike P

In World of Outlaws they used to say "Don't even LOOK at Steve Kinser
for an hour before a race."
In the superbike scene it was the same for Carl Fogarty, with the
addition, if he hadn't won, "Don't walk within 10 feet of Fogarty for
a day or two after the race!"

I like to speculate the scene if a PR hack had gently grasped Denny
Hulme's arm (he'd need a biggish hand to do that) before or after a
race and asked "Denny, how would you describe your feelings, deep
inside, at this moment?"

It did happen....once. No repeat! Was not a GP, but a CanAm race.
One Norman Graham Hill was another not to be approached shortly before a
race. On one famous occasion a journo tried for an interview, which got the
response "The only thing that bothers me at the moment, is berks like you
asking bloody stupid questions like that" (paraphrased)
Doc

"Mike P" <privacy@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:68j95pF2sebm3U1@mid.individual.net...
>
> "Gongoozler" <trevor@ladyelg.fsnet.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:1cq8245hedm6obu6rqb8vf9p7n810fqqau@4ax.com...
>> brafield@hotmail.com wrote:
>>>snip
>>>At a Silverstone testing day I saw Villeneuve doing a 20-yard walk-
>>>towards-the-camera for a tire advert photo. He repeated it. They
>>>asked him to do another try and he said (approx) fuck you guys, I'm a
>>>racing driver, and went back to his pits.
>>>snip
>>
>> I remember one of the course commentators at Brands Hatch sticking a
>> microphone in Tim Schenken's face on the start line and asking a
>> question. The response was (approx): "f**k off, I'm about to start a
>> Grand Prix for f**k's sake!"
>> Times change don't they?
>
> I've been watching the 1993 CART season. They interview drivers *IN* the
> car on the grid.. brilliant!!
>
> Mike P
>

And the drivers seem quite happy with it and don't die on track as a result
of an interviewer having the shere front to actually want to speak to the
highly paid hero.

This is what I really like about the way Americans do sport. The get right
in there, its all accessible. F1 is so up its own arse in that respect.

AC

On Fri, 9 May 2008 18:48:13 +0100, "AC" <xxxx@xxxx.xxx> wrote:

>
>"Mike P" <privacy@privacy.net> wrote in message
>news:68j95pF2sebm3U1@mid.individual.net...
>>
>> "Gongoozler" <trevor@ladyelg.fsnet.co.uk> wrote in message
>> news:1cq8245hedm6obu6rqb8vf9p7n810fqqau@4ax.com...
>>> brafield@hotmail.com wrote:
>>>>snip
>>>>At a Silverstone testing day I saw Villeneuve doing a 20-yard walk-
>>>>towards-the-camera for a tire advert photo. He repeated it. They
>>>>asked him to do another try and he said (approx) fuck you guys, I'm a
>>>>racing driver, and went back to his pits.
>>>>snip
>>>
>>> I remember one of the course commentators at Brands Hatch sticking a
>>> microphone in Tim Schenken's face on the start line and asking a
>>> question. The response was (approx): "f**k off, I'm about to start a
>>> Grand Prix for f**k's sake!"
>>> Times change don't they?
>>
>> I've been watching the 1993 CART season. They interview drivers *IN* the
>> car on the grid.. brilliant!!
>>
>> Mike P
>>
>
>And the drivers seem quite happy with it and don't die on track as a result
>of an interviewer having the shere front to actually want to speak to the
>highly paid hero.
>
>This is what I really like about the way Americans do sport. The get right
>in there, its all accessible. F1 is so up its own arse in that respect.
>
Some genuinely do, but do not mix up commercialism with being just
nice kind of guys. Drvers nowdays HAVE to play the game. Take a good
look at when that driver being interviewed, is the label of his drink
bottle facing the camera ? You bet your arse, it's a 100 bucks, 1000
bucks, whatever, in his or his team's pocket. I used to cringe when i
started watching US motorsport and listen to the drawn out replies
htat contained more brand names than actual substance, but now we're
doing the same crap, so it's same old same old to me.
The reason you don't see this, is because you were probably born into
it. Those of us who saw "raw" racing drivers, for instance here in Oz
before the US style commmercial aspects arrived into the sport about
20 years ago, we do see the difference that happened over the years.
We used to switch to "the pits", not to the Vodaphone pits. The
drivers used to praise the "tyres", not the X brand tyres. They used
to say that "the car" went great, not that the <insert sponsor> car
went great, they even had drinks from glasses and we, the viewers,
were left sleepless and wondering what they were drinking..
It is all true, there were such times.. long gone.

This Motorola<Hello Moto> post was brought to you by Acer<The power
without the price> via Optus Cable Services<yes, we do say yes> for
Usenet<the truth will not deter us>.

--

Regards, Frank

Frank Adam wrote:

> On Fri, 9 May 2008 18:48:13 +0100, "AC" <xxxx@xxxx.xxx> wrote:
>
> >
> >"Mike P" <privacy@privacy.net> wrote in message
> > news:68j95pF2sebm3U1@mid.individual.net...
> > >
> >> "Gongoozler" <trevor@ladyelg.fsnet.co.uk> wrote in message
> >> news:1cq8245hedm6obu6rqb8vf9p7n810fqqau@4ax.com...
> >>> brafield@hotmail.com wrote:
> > > > > snip
> > > > > At a Silverstone testing day I saw Villeneuve doing a 20-yard
> > > > > walk- towards-the-camera for a tire advert photo. He
> > > > > repeated it. They asked him to do another try and he said
> > > > > (approx) fuck you guys, I'm a racing driver, and went back to
> > > > > his pits. snip
> > > >
> >>> I remember one of the course commentators at Brands Hatch
> sticking a >>> microphone in Tim Schenken's face on the start line
> and asking a >>> question. The response was (approx): "f**k off, I'm
> about to start a >>> Grand Prix for f**k's sake!"
> >>> Times change don't they?
> > >
> >> I've been watching the 1993 CART season. They interview drivers IN
> the >> car on the grid.. brilliant!!
> > >
> >> Mike P
> > >
> >
> > And the drivers seem quite happy with it and don't die on track as
> > a result of an interviewer having the shere front to actually want
> > to speak to the highly paid hero.
> >
> > This is what I really like about the way Americans do sport. The
> > get right in there, its all accessible. F1 is so up its own arse in
> > that respect.
> >
> Some genuinely do, but do not mix up commercialism with being just
> nice kind of guys. Drvers nowdays HAVE to play the game. Take a good
> look at when that driver being interviewed, is the label of his drink
> bottle facing the camera ? You bet your arse, it's a 100 bucks, 1000
> bucks, whatever, in his or his team's pocket. I used to cringe when i
> started watching US motorsport and listen to the drawn out replies
> htat contained more brand names than actual substance, but now we're
> doing the same crap, so it's same old same old to me.
> The reason you don't see this, is because you were probably born into
> it. Those of us who saw "raw" racing drivers, for instance here in Oz
> before the US style commmercial aspects arrived into the sport about
> 20 years ago, we do see the difference that happened over the years.
> We used to switch to "the pits", not to the Vodaphone pits. The
> drivers used to praise the "tyres", not the X brand tyres.

Not to mention "Zinger(?) replays" and the "Xbox 360 leaderboard". It
only time 'til a commentator says "we'll take a break while I go to the
"Dual Flush Thompson's Duoset" dunnie.

> They used
> to say that "the car" went great, not that the <insert sponsor> car
> went great, they even had drinks from glasses and we, the viewers,
> were left sleepless and wondering what they were drinking..
> It is all true, there were such times.. long gone.
>
> This Motorola<Hello Moto> post was brought to you by Acer<The power
> without the price> via Optus Cable Services<yes, we do say yes> for
> Usenet<the truth will not deter us>.



--
Pitwall is an online F1 manager game where you receive a team and need
to develop the team to get on the top podium position! Pitwall is
entirely free! No sh*t!
http://tinyurl.com/5y6ls3

"Frank Adam" <fajp@notthis.optushome.com.au> wrote in message
news:rib9245lde8sboeqlr41lru8n8nj201ee9@4ax.com...
>
>The drivers used to praise the "tyres", not the X brand tyres. They
> used to say that "the car" went great, not that the <insert sponsor>
>car went great,

I'm waiting for "I couldn't have done it without my mechanics in there
<brand> dry cleaned overalls.

> they even had drinks from glasses and we, the viewers,
> were left sleepless and wondering what they were drinking..

Vodka or whisky mainly. ;)

On May 9, 10:49 am, "brafi...@hotmail.com" <brafi...@hotmail.com>
wrote:
> Stuff like the Hamilton + horse nonsense reduces F1 to the level of
> "Look, here's Madonna shopping on Sunset Bvd!" or "Oh, Brad is wearing
> Armani today!"
>
> Most drivers find it very hard to say no.  They sign the Personal
> Service contract for the big bucks, and that means "Hey Felipe, just
> do a couple of vogue + break dance moves around this dispaly of
> portable toilets, will you?  And maybe wiggle a bit more this time?
> Lovely!"
>
> Mika Hakkinnen had to do a "walkabout" in a fucking COAL MINE for
> god's sake, smiling all over his Finnish chops for some corporate PR
> flak.
>
> At a Silverstone testing day I saw Villeneuve doing a 20-yard walk-
> towards-the-camera for a tire advert photo.  He repeated it.  They
> asked him to do another try and he said (approx) fuck you guys, I'm a
> racing driver, and went back to his pits.
>
> Despite his nonconformist example, we must assume that some first-
> three-rows prima donnas will acquiesce in caressing their soft faces
> with Olay soap, or hyping a haemmorrhoid treatment.

I think Kimi gets away with avoiding most of that bullsh*t these
days. He did his little Fiat TV ad with Schumi around Christmas in
the Alps probably near Ferrari's ski resort. Kimi was pretty good
natured about it. The ad is on youtube.