Anyway...

I was going to tell you a little story about Fernando. But I have to be careful obviously. One slip of the keyboard, one ill-judged adjective(God forbid), one slight misrepresentation of the FACTS, one word lost in translation, or worst of all, another post about Fernando(which is not allowed...)

Anyway I like this enough to try and re-create it for you. It was only a small moment but it illustrates Fernando's sense of humour which many of his critics are not aware of(careful, the word critic...oooh, arrgh...I think I'll risk it). (But what about the phrase "sense of humour" and highlighting that? It could be misconstrued as me not taking Fernando seriously...again I'm prepared to take this challenge on board.)

So there we are in Sepang(I'm not trying to remind anyone of Fernando's performance there; it's just that that is where this little cameo took place. I suppose I could move the setting to Albert Park where Fernando was better, but then that would be playing fast and loose with the FACTS). It was incredibly hot as you all recall and, as I walked down the paddock, I noticed Fernando emerge from the Renault motorhome.(He looked to be heading in the direction of Ferrari...no, that is a joke...or was it McLaren...) (That was a joke - I'll find the italic key for that). (BTW, I wasn't looking for Fernando or anything, I just happened to notice him, that's all).

So he comes out of the Renault motorhome dressed in his driving suit and starts walking across the paddock to the Renault garage. Fernando looked relaxed, cool, happy, unconcerned about life and had that certain charisma which we have come to recognise as Fernando's style(I think that bit's OK but I may have to correct it - or lie awake at night worrying about it more likely).

Anyway, Fernando's walking and minding his own business as drivers often try to do. In their minds you guess they are thinking "I'll just try and get across here without being stopped or hassled"(now that's not a comment about Fernando in particular but Formula One drivers in general. I fully recognise etc that Fernando is one of the most generous with his time). So he is making his way towards the garage and, as he does so, a TV crew - that would be a camera man and a sound man attached by a cable - spot him and start walking very fast towards him. Now quite a few of us watched as the distance Fernando had to travel to the open door to the Renault garage decreased and the speed that the TV crew were travelling increased. These boys were determined(I'm not saying that Fernando isn't determined. But maybe on this occasion, they were more determined than he was - or so we thought).

Anyway, I hope you are still with me(and not just those trying to catch me out). It became apparent that, at their relative speeds, Fernando, who has excellent reactions(I mean as a driver in terms of time-on-distance and that sort of thing) realised that they were going to "get" him before he made it to the door. And this was the funny bit which made quite a few people laugh out loud who saw it(including me). (BTW we were not laughing at Fernando as it were, but with him. I think I should point that out. You know the sort of thing, he - Fernando - made us laugh in a fairly conventional way).

If any of you remember Monty Python's "Ministry of Silly Walks", you will be able to visualise what the Asturian hero(I'm not in any way misrepresenting him) did next. Instead of breaking into a run, he dramatically dropped his centre of gravity, extended his stride so that he was covering about double his normal distance, kept his focus dead ahead, increased his pace and disappeared. All he needed was a bowler hat and an umbrella and he would have been John Cleese.(I'm not lampooning Fernando by comparing him to John Cleese. In fact I would say that is an accolade).

The nice bit about this little story(at the risk of patronising a man who is, after all, a double world champion) is that I'm pretty sure that having escaped so to speak, Fernando then stopped inside the garage, turned, and gave a short interview or whatever it was to the crew who had chased him.

I think that's it. I hope I haven't offended anyone or even annoyed anyone. And I apologise for writing about Fernando. I'll stop doing this I promise. Now, where is my notebook with that anecdote about Takuma... 

Comments

[Jean]

Wow Ed! You're so witty and funny!! And your use of irony is brilliant!!. Now you only have to learn something about F1 and you'll be able to write interesting chronicles and articles, faithful to facts and reality.

Keep it up!!!

[JoseBelgica]

Ed, I have to admit. You are obsessed with Fernando Alonso. Don't you know that every time you talk about him, you increase his popularity among us and also F1 Circus ?

I just read in a Spanish newspaper (http://www.as.com/motor/articulo/formula-automovilismo-deportes/dasmotfm1/20080328dasdaimot_7/Tes)
(as you can see, I provide the source of the information, I'm not saying that you lie all the time, I'm just providing the source of myu information)
that Ron Dennis offered Mclaren F1 LM to Hamilton if he wins this year title. Is it true? Do you know what is Ron Dennis offering to Kovalainen? I expect the same offer from a team which treats his pilots equally.

[Architrion]

Come on, boy, take it easy..... Your blog receives tons of attention froms Spain readers (something that couldn't be said of other sites like Guardian) and as you know that only can be good.... in fact is really good for you and for us. Keep up the good work, I'm with you although sometimes I have my own point of view. Regards froms Spain

[JY]

Getting touchy in your old age Ed? Think you may have overegged the pudding a little bit there. Nice read all the same... keep it up.

[Michael Bowen]

haha....great use of irony, taking the piss, whatever....

and then the return of the tedia....

[B Cave]

Ed, I couldn't read this after the first few sentences. You've become so afraid of the 'Fernando fascists' it's impossible to just write plain English anymore about him or F1 in general. You should ignore them and just write what you please. They seem to be obsessive lunatics infesting every F1 forum and blog in sight. And they seem so anti-Hamilton, I wonder if they aren't a branch of the BNP.

[Michael Bowen]

What's the BNP? The Boring Nationalistas Party??

[JoseBelgica]

B Cave:
We are not anti-Hamilton. Have you read any reply on this post that makes you think we hate Hamilton?

I mentioning Ron Dennis promising Hamilton a Car, and not to Heiki Kv. is this being anti-hamilton?

Fernando fascists.. once again, try to write down something without insulting a whole community.

As you read from my post, I commented something regarding F1. Are you able to do the same ?

[Joan]

Elaborating on B Cave's point, it is true that the Spamish bug is infesting all the blogs. Last season German blogs were also overloaded with the same stuff that we see here. This year Germany is not the big enemy it was (Mercedes) so there is a temporary ceasefire.

Ed, thanks for your blog and do not fear writing about FA. You are out of reach of the crowd that would stone you for saying the name of Yahve aloud.

[Lucky Loose]

See now I tend to read the blog, which is much more interesting than the vitriol!

Remember Ed, the majority of your readers read your blog and aren't interested in a slanging match or posting or reading an ongoing arguement between a minotiry of readers.

[D]

^

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cp2ZhhTBnKM

(Silly Walks, Lost in Translation at Hungaroring on the way to Renault's appearance before the FIA's Kangaroo Court.)

And yeah, JoseBelgica, I'd like to see the colour of Lewis Hamilton's face if Heikki gets to drive that LM home. Will he go white as a sheet, green with envy, purple with indignation or complain until he's blue in the face?

I'm sure that Chunda, despite exceeding his exit in that protracted man v thesaurus battle he's waging, will be monitoring this situation for us (ad nauseam) and be able to give us a jaundiced view.

And at least if Heikki wins it he won't be asking Ron to part with that priceless "F1 MCL" number plate as well.

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/27/hamilton-promised-4m-mclaren-f1-lm-for-winning-title/

The car itself's a nice colour, too: I'm sure Bruce would have approved of it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mclaren5/689229740/

[Harry Lime]

Dear Mr. Gorman: nice piece full of irony. I enjoyed it a lot.

Dear Mr. B Cave: I was born in Spain (sorry about that, it was not my fault. It was not my decision). I happen to speak a little bit of English. I happen to write sometimes in this blog. I feel indiference towards Mr. Hamilton (the same indiference I feel for Mr. Alonso, for Mr. Sato or for Mr. Fisichella). Does this me make part of 'Fernando fascists' and the BNP (which I guess is a fascist English party)? Is my indiference towards Mr. Hamilton a sign of racism?

Regards

[Miguel G]

Very funny! I enjoyed it.

[JACOB]

You can make all the jokes you want about Fernando Alonso.
But any joske any anecdote will be as funny as the one Lewis HAmilton did last year...

Yes it happened in Brazil he was going to win the world champion and then... He press the wrong botton... HA HA HA ha... That was the funniest... All the spaierds have the best time ever!!!

Anyway Ed, you could writte about that funny anecdote... I really enjoy that one,

[Anon1234]

I promised myself I wouldn't comment on this blog again because I didn't want to contribute to whatever is going on here but I couldn't help laughing at the sugestion that the Spaniards that post here are members of the British National Party.

When reading some comments I can't help thinking of this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_projection

[Ben]

This is why blogs shouldn't allow comments - the nutters take over in the end.

Anyway, good to have you back again Ed.

[Craig]

Very good Ed, I'm starting to know how you feel after the last week!

As I recall, the F1 LM story isn't new - Hamilton was promised it last year if he won 2 out of the next 3 championships. As he lost last year it means he has to win this year and next.

So I suppose it's not favouritism against Heikki, it was favouritism against Fernando at that point in time...

Or it could have all been made up by some journalist with too much time on his hands!

[Juan H]

To all those considering Spaniard racists (not to say rubbish, imbeciles, fascists and so on):

I have reading this blog for a while since last year. To me it is not any more a F1 blog, but, once controlled my incredulity and surprise on what lots of people write here (both British and Spanish-including that part, Catalonia), it is kind of funny, if it were not that then one realizes easily how humans go into wars (I do mean wars literally) constantly.

I just wanted to provide some information that might be valuable for some of the not-so-well educated that post regularly. I am not going to repeat the essential (all humans are racist, it is a sort of tribal, primitive biological property, that can only be dominated to some extent...but given the right conditions and it will appear right away!), but only comment this:

I read in the main Spanish newspaper, El Pais, in March 24, that the British Council (you British know this institution, don't you?) had done a survey in 47 schools across Europe to about 3.500 children, many of them in Great Britain. A number of things were asked, being one how many were "made fool of", namely, bullying (disabilities, color of skin, clothes), and you know what? UK was the country with the highest score (48%)! Holland was the country with the lowest score (16%), and Spain, that racist country (in some people's mind), had only 22%!.

As you may think a Spanish newspaper can't be trusted, then the best for you is to go the British Council web and read it with your own eyes:

www.britishcouncil.org/home-about-us-world-of-difference-no-laughing-matter.htm

I hope you will have some re-thoughts on stereotypes (including your own ones, of course).

Regarding some of the comments on the bias of British press, and Hamilton hype, I was happy to read this in a prestigious (I think it is in F1) non-Spanish blog on this subject, from Mr. Doctorvee (alis Duncan Stephen) which I strongly recommend to read:

vee8.doctorvee.co.uk/2008/03/27/hamilton-the-british-f1-media-and-bloggers/

Finally, I am happy you speak so much on Alonso; in my mind that has a clear meaning.

And let's have a great 2008 F1 session and the best win.

Sincerely,

Juan H.

[Jonah]

Hahaha! Nice story Ed. I think Fernando has more personality than probably any other driver on the grid. Were it not for the all too frequent displays of petulance and the prickly pride he'd probably be held in very high regard by (non-Spanish) F1 fans. Shame this side of him is mixed someone who can take offence at the sight of Ron Dennis cheering Heikki on for an overtaking move (into a higher points position) late in the race in Australia. Perhaps the bitterness will mellow in time (though I'm a little doubtful!).

[jordi]

How far can you go Ed? As I said a few days ago…

...Guys, guys, guys... Is Mr Ed who keeps bringing as much controversy as possible to his blog. Can't you see it?

Posted by: jordi | 27 Mar 2008 21:50:11

Now Ed, I bet you that you will find another funny walk (a German walk, a cow walk or even a monkey walk) to talk about.

You will not keep your promise and will be talking about Alonso as long as you have Spanish people clicking in your blog and as long as you can use it to divert the attention from Mclaren wrong doings.

Where is Ron Dennis this year? and daddy? and most importantly how are they walking?

[CHIUNDA]

I doubt Ed wrote this - it seems quite out of character. This looks like some young hotshot at the office being given a first important assignment to stir up some trouble with the Spanish.

Hi D my good friend and brother - good to notice that you have no problem with the words "racist" or "racism" being used by anybody else except Chiunda. I will unearth your real intentions and opinion on the matter as the year progress. Nonetheless, yes, i am committed to making my voice heard on that subject among others.

However it is likely that Hamilton will display all the colors that you mention. After all, his skin is quite light actually almost white.

[B Cave]

Michael Bowen, I think your description of the acronym could be correct - the Boring Nationalistas Party. Excellent!

[CHIUNDA]

Juan H you wrote:

"I just wanted to provide some information that might be valuable for some of the not-so-well educated that post regularly. I am not going to repeat the essential (all humans are racist, it is a sort of tribal, primitive biological property, that can only be dominated to some extent...but given the right conditions and it will appear right away!), but only comment this:"

Sorry mate - you are wrong - not all human beings are racists and i would like to dissociate myself from your type of human race. I would venture to say that you are a part of a minority but i won't until i gather the comments that will follow your post.

[mecano]

Best thing about us/those Brits in general is our/their sense of humour. Good work and good timing Ed, and lets all laugh and relax a bit.

[Ethan]

Josebelgica,

I'm spanish and I would just ike to give a little piece of advice,please don't believe half the things that are said in the As newspaper it's the equivalent of the SUN in Britain(but for sport).Specially don´t believe pracically anything said by a journalist called Carlos Miquel,he is even refered to by his colleagues in the SER radio as an FA taliban.I'm only telling you this becaue if you read too much of it you risk being fooled by him...

[javiervivaespania]

Ed can recognise who is the best and most humorous and nicest guy of the grid, even if he is British and loves Hamilton. This is normal, if you are Spanish you love Magic Alonso but it is good to see that the British, who are the kings of humour, recognise that Alonso has overtaken them as well on that track.

I am really proud to be SpaNNNNNish, by the way.

As we talk, I know that Alonso is working hard to improve the bad car that he has and trying all possible technical combinations to make it faster. No doubt he will succeed. He is not only the most humorous but also the best driver in history when it comes to take the spanners and fix the car to make it a chariot of fire.

[SONIA]

It was to be said that Alonso's behaviour in the media has been absolutely fauteless and you seldom hear him commenting on hamilton in negative terms, and certanly not on anything other than his on-track acctions, this is certanly a great deal, more than can be said for lewis hamilton who cannnot resist constanly making snides comments about Alonso....

To all of those who talk withouT Knowing what they talk about..

BY THE WAY THIS WAS WRITTEN BY ONE ENGLISH MAN CALLED STUART CODLING FOR AN ENGLISH F1 MAGAZINE AND YOU CAN SEE IN DOCTORVEE FILES....AND PLEASE GREG WHY DONT YOU KEEP WRITTING ABOUT ALONSO SAYING WHAT IS OBVIOUS??? HE HASN'T GOT A COMPETITIVE CAR THIS YEAR, AND HE IS IN FITH POSITION... WHY??? HURTS RECOGNAIZING THE TRUE???, TALK ABOUT REALITIES AND NOT ABOUT YOUR NIGHTMARES AND ILUSIONS.....

[JoseBelgica]

Mecano,
So, let me get this right! Whenever you use sense of humor is fine ... what happens with those 4 spaniards who were dressed with carnival clothes in Valencia? That is not sense of humor instead of Racism?
Ah, I forgot, only Brits are allowed to express their hate with humor? The rest, pour us, we are banned.

Ed, I know this is your second year as F1 blogger, and I do know is quite difficult to post something RELATED WITH F1. But, please, try!

[Manuel Recio Ranea]

I'm sorry but it seems the journalist is paid by the number of words. Consequently, no matter the number of adjectives or irrelevant information he uses to portray a tiny incident concerning a sportsman. I suppose the journalist was running out of ideas/information which affects in a negative way to the overall quality of the article.

[D]

^
Ed >

If my good friend and adoptive maiden aunt Chunda ever manages to unearth the high technology involved in switching the spell-checker on his computer from American to British English as the year progresses, do you think you could persuade The Times to appoint him to the post of Motormouth Racism Correspondent and give him his own Blog?

He would there be able to debate the purpleness of his prose and the hue of his heroes to his heart's content.

He could even discuss how much more he knows about the human psyche than the late Dr. Sigmund Freud. Particularly on the subject of obsessions.

That'd be good for a laugh!

Just wait till they start debating Mosley initiatives and the political correctness of National Anthems:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtEhKmK1eOQ

Anyway...

Here's that other MP classic - the one that tackles racialism with no mention of MM's dad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlmGknvr_Pg

[IDR]

Ed,

Nice and funny comment about the backstage of the races. As always, you are giving us that kind of race's visions that are just priceless!

D,

Thanks a lot for Monty Phyton's youtube link, my English is not good enaugh to follow Ed's descriptions of Fernando's movements.

[V]

I normally enjoy reading the articles and avoid the comments given my marked anti-masochistic personality, but this article nearly accomplished the same thing - providing the reader with an unnecessarily lengthy and gratingly awkward story.

Honestly, if you know that some of your readers are nutjobs, why even lower yourself by pandering to them w/ such drivel? All it does is produce a crap story and crap writing. Let's get back to the basics, huh? (behind the scenes of F1, news analysis, etc. etc.)

[elba]

Seven horses come from bonanza and the words formula one.
This is irony!

[Joan]

Ed, I would love to have a post from you on the following subject: how can a driver help to improve the performance of a F1 car? what are the technical aspects that are within the reach of the driver for him to be tuned?

I think this would be a very interesting issue to talk about.

Again FA is credited by the Spanish Press with having an almost supernatural ability to improve the car. Despite he has no engineering studies at all, it is said here in the Spanish State that he alone can do much more than the constructor's engineers, and this has become again "a fact" for FA supporters. They also say that Kimi is just the opposite, he doesn't know a word on cars, "he just takes the keys and drive them". I seriously doubt that this is at all true. But it would be nice if you can post us an analysis on this matter.

[Chris G]

One might easily conclude from the comments on this blog that all F1 fans were insane. That patently isn't the case, so much for generalizations.
Thanks again for the blod Ed.

[andrew myers]

the best thing about this post, how all our Spanish friends have taken the bait and started throwing their rattles round,

keep it up Ed!

[Jonah]

Hmmm... an article celebrating Alonso's humour while poking fun at his humourless and irritable fans provokes a mountain of humourless and irritable responses. Well, true to form I guess (with thankfully a couple of exceptions).

[CHIUNDA]

I wish my good friend and adoptive maiden aunt D would stop running back to Ed every time he gets into an exchange asking that Ed bans one contributor or other. D you can avoid reading the words written in American English.

And by the way D, you are already the self-appointed Motormouth Racism Correspondent on this blog - your posts contain the R word more times than any other contributor's posts. I don't plan to wrestle that trophy from you.

Talking about Freud and obsessions,I was hoping you would grace me with one of your winding discussions on menus ... i usually find those relevant to the objects of this blog.

[IDR]

BTW,

Jean Marie Balestre was dead, yesterday.

Many of us remeber him just because his protagonism after the incident between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost at Suzuka 1989.

Anyhow,

¿Is time to have another French as FIA's President?

Maybe is Jean Tod´s dream... but should has he the financial support for applying to?

I don't think so.

[Pinaster]

Dear Gorman:
Please, dont get me wrong; I didnt get the joke, but is not your fault. it is only that my english is horrible. I was trying to keep concentration, but so much irony made me lost the focus.
Well, I promise you that Ill try my best to understand your beautyful language... but meanwhile, can you tell me:
Why you call him "Fernando"?
Why are you so "Fernando" focused in your blog, since we all know that you are a "lewis" supporter, the current WChs leader?
Please, Gorman, dont get me wrong, I dont mean to be offensive, but... why dont you talk about Lewis? This is suppossed to be his year, why wasting time on "Fernando"?
Thanks a lot, cheers.

[jordi]

The last 3 post are exclusively dedicated to a one driver-Fernando lets a rather large feline out of the bag-Snakes and Ladders- Anyway..-

That driver is only 6th on the DWC, walks funny, Drives a banana and is disloyal. Still, you are only getting 50 comments a post. Where are you going wrong Ed?

It is true that this time last year you were getting 1 comment a post, so I guess that's an improvement.

Try telling that anecdote about Takuma, you can mention something about Kamikazes and the 2nd world war to make you more popular in Japan and bring in some more comments from other countries.

Regards

[Miguelito]

This year's championship is shaping up to be about a couple of Finns, a Brazilian, possibly a pairing of Germans and an Englishman.

Back in your boxes, Fernandistas.

x

[JP]

Well I found it funny, Ed!

Joan's post is interesting, though... I too would love some insight into just how much a driver can influence the development of a car.

[jordi]

Thanks Juan H.
for the link, that was a refreshing read.

http://vee8.doctorvee.co.uk/2008/03/27/hamilton-the-british-f1-media-and-bloggers/

Also interesting

http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=34301

[Anon (original)]

Mr. GOrman! I've never seen a more insulting post about Alonso! You've totally messed up the facs! Now what are you going to do to poor Takuma?

Just kidding (of course) =). Have a nice day, and funny sory.

[Felipe]

Dear D,

I'm still giggling to myself while writing this post, after reading your repost to Johnny P in the previous post... sometimes I think your posts are a bit too forced, but that one was absolutely spot on... I was wondering what was Johnny P's point...

I sometimes think that you are Ed's pseudonym, so that he can get his message across.

I think there should be a strike on stupid comments. Last year I was glued to this blog, but I'm slowly losing interest. Both sides are very tiresome, and they just fuel the fire.

Bring on Bahrain, and stop the vile. By the way Ed, very funny article, but I agree with some people, don't stoop to the spammer's level.

[Michael Bowen]

wot andrew said...........

[teamwork-toronto-ON]

OMG! thank you very much!
You see, that's the way i write too and my friends complain about it!
but if we don't do those parenthesis, they could missunderstand what we are trying to say.

thank you for the stories, it doesn't matter whom you are talking about, that's your job when you are between them all the time! and then tell us what you see!

Saying that, of course fernando has a sense of humor, after all he is a king, he is a leo.
No need to say more. (btw, he is not my favorite persona).

thank you very much for your anecdotes! . . always appreciated.

[mecano]

Josebelgica, good point and I agree with you on that one - the 4 who got dressed up in Barcelona, were as you say, in Carnival week. I was wondering if I wore a mask with big ears at a fancy dress party if Prince Charles (spitting image anyone?) would sue me because he felt offended? And how about the Irish jokes then? Ed's comments on the blog in general are good, frequently biaised, sometimes provocative and on this occasion, for a change, funny! It's ironic how even with this article we all jump and start bashing each other!

[IDR]

"Talking about Freud and obsessions,I was hoping you would grace me with one of your winding discussions on menus ... i usually find those relevant to the objects of this blog."

Well, when the thread is "That lunch menu in full" (Thanks Ed for that), is relevant to the object of this blog.

Anyhow, talking about Freud and obsessions, the relevant question is how you can mix Bacon with Avocado!

[ALONSO'S MIRACLES]

Hey Ed,

YOu were missing us, uh?. I mean your spanish army of readers that contributed so much last year to your great success.

Welcome back!

[elba]

So, you dont support your driver if he has not chance to win, Miguelito?
God, you must love the sport!
Regards

[Flip]

I like this blg because it gives an inside view to F1. The non-official bits and pieces that we don't get to see in press releases or magazine articles.

No matter what team or driver, there are always going to be polarised elements. And the fact of the matter is that as hard as you try, you just cannot please them all.

I don't understand why people who complain about your posts and don't like them continue to come back and read this blog. Slightly masochistic, no?

So please, don't apologise. No one is being forced to come to this site. If people don't like your views then perhaps they can find another blog or F1 site that suits them better. Or even better, start their own and see how many readers they get with an identical point of view.

[Scott Cheadle, Zurich]

Well thanks for nothing Ed, that story wasn't even remotely funny and maybe you should do irony 1.01 all over again.

Keep trying though maybe you'll get it right eventually

[baz]

Totally unreadable. Please can someone translate into English and tell me what this is all about?

[J. Perez]

So Mr Gorman misconstrues some remarks and publishes some info that falls short of being true.

He is told off. Instead of acknowledging he was wrong and apologizing he publishes a supposedly humoristic piece, intended to create a reaction from the most hot-headed Spanish readers (mostly those who don't have a good level of English) so that he and some non-Spanish readers can laugh at them.

Great for you Mr. Gorman!!! What a superb piece of journalism!!!!

Of course, as in other instances this oremark will not be published, otherwise I'd recommend the rest of Spanish readers wasting their time here.

[IDR]

Well thanks for nothing Ed, that story wasn't even remotely funny and maybe you should do irony 1.01 all over again.
Keep trying though maybe you'll get it right eventually
POSTED BY: SCOTT CHEADLE, ZURICH | 29 MAR 2008 09:26:02

The sense of humour of Swiss people is not precisely one of the best ones!
(Please don’t get me wrong, nothing to do with acid or caustic intention with this matter)

But come to my mind a very funny story of one Spanish manager of General Motors, well, he was born in Cadiz (Andalusia).

This person was moved from Cadiz to Switzerland. After one year living there, he asked his boss returning back to Spain. As General Motors doesn’t want him to leave, he resigned and returned back to Cadiz and opened a Car’s concessionary (Opel-Vauxhall in UK).

When I ask him for the reasons of leaving Switzerland, he started commenting to us a lot of funny stories about Swiss’s life and the contrast with the habits and life’s vision of a person from Cadiz.

People from Cadiz, are really quite ironic and when they want to be funny, they make your eyes water!
But he commented to us the last issue that convinced him to leave that wonderful country:

He and his wife decided to make a dinner at home and invited some people. As they was relatively new, they invited their “next door neighbours” just to try to enlarge their circle of people there.

Everything was ok, they had a wonderful party, but you know, at the end of that kind of dinners, some people start leaving and remain just the closest friends. Then the neighbours left, everything was ok, they kindly grateful the invitation and returned back to their apartment (next door).

Half an hour later, my friend received a visit from the police, asking them to finish the party and the noise they were producing, and he had to pay a wonderful fine for that.

The persons who called the police were their “next door neighbours”. They just wait 5 seconds after leaving the party to call the police!

Maybe, just, maybe, Swiss humour is not the same than for the rest.

[Keith]

Ed, about the Alonso crazies: ignore them.

Don't try to reason with them. Don't waste your breath trying to debate them. Don't even acknowledge them.

They're crazies and they ruin the fun of following F1 for the rest of us.

[Al (Spain)]

Thanks man!

This is probably the best F1 blog I ever seen. No other but this reports me all technical, tactical issues and a deep knowledge about this complicated sport.

Time ago I decided don't read this blog because I have no time to spent here understanding information provided by your incredible F1 skill. Now, when I've return to read here, I can see how huge was my error. From now on, I promise myself inspect your post regularly and comment every time...

...How INCREDIBLE IS LEWIS HAMILTON, the best in the word, in the galaxy and around here...

[Andy G (the real one in case anyone cares, which they don't)]

Gorman. You have sinned mightily. You have described The Magicness in a tone that does not entirely reverberate with Reverence.

You are excommunicated from the (self appointed) Spanish F1 Illiterati Zone and will forever live in that place of wailing and gnashing of teeth where, inter alia, all actual F1 drivers, bosses, engineers, experts, business guys, owners, administrators, media people and all sane fans live.

You may redeem yourself ONLY by completing ALL of the following:

- accepting that his Magicness is the THE ONE AND ONLY Great Pilote

- understanding that each car achieves speed and greatness only HIS tender husbandry; all technical people only get in the way and no other pilote has the touch

- acknowledging that He is the font of all goodness, decency and right thinking and that when it looked like he was a conniving little s**t in the past he wasn't really being irresponsible with the lives, careers and fortunes of his team, sponsors and the industry

You have much to do Gorman, kneel at the feet of the former parentless and penniless boy of Asturia and say 50 Viva Espanias to 2WC and his entourage of ill-informed toadies, sycophants and propaganda merchants.

[ramplano]

After a 4 days working trip not having acces to the Internet I had a look at this blog and what did I find? Three new threads about Alonso.

It appears to me that Ed Gorman had nothing better than that to keep the blog alive until the next race.
Personally I find it odd and boring but what I don't really understand is some bloggers here complaining about Alonso crazies and Spaniards.
In my opinion the call is so obvious for them to post.....

[jordi]

How sad are you?

All of you shouting Hurray! to any attempts from Ed to be funny and/or controversial.

You are telling Spanish people to stop defending Alonso and to write about F1. Well, why don't you stop attacking him? What's the point of writing about the way Alonso walks? Why is Ed dedicating the last 3 threads to Alonso?

Do you want to write about Alonsos? Good, but then don't complain when alonsos fans get irritated and attack your local hero. Grow up!

After reading this thread, I hope that no one tells me to write about F1 anymore. It's clear that this Blog is about, nationalism, racism, walks, taxidrivers, paella,the NBP and a touch of F1 (mostly when Hamilton does well).

One thing is for sure, Alonso is keeping you all on your toes.

[Anon (original)]

To IDR:

Please don't stereotye the Swiss over one comment. I'm Swiss myself, and I thought the irony was great.

"Scott Cheadle" doesn't sound very Swiss anyway, and you're party story could have happened in any country.
Regards

To Andy G: Stop ranting, for the 100th time. You jus piss off the Alonsoiss who then exert thir anger by typing more stuff.

[joan]

Sadly enough, the Spamish crew is helpless. You cannot be forgotten for being English, Catalan, Swiss or black. Is the last sentence sufficiently irritating? Yes, please, just go, stick to Marca, As and find somewhere else where you can practice your English.

Do you not realise how pathetic what you write might look outside Spain?

I am Catalan, although I have some Spanish background and that helps me to spot the many weaknesses of your/my culture.

Ed, there are many Spanish guys, no matter how difficult to believe it is if you read the load we have here, that are not so proud of their limitations, who can see them, and who can long for improving their society starting from a necessary harsh criticism.

Coming back to F1, I insist in Ed's doing some talking in the paddock and finding out about the engineering solutions that a driver can dcontribute with to an open wheeled car.

[Lucy]

Jordi don't be so dense do you not realise all the stuff about Alonso is in retaliation to Spanish people who constantly post here just to slag off Lewis and go on about how Alonso is an angel.
If you didn't keep having constant digs at Lewis then none of us would even mention Alonso but none of you can let go.
The more you go on the more Ed is going to write about Alonso because it winds you up.
It's 2008 and it's really time to move on.

[Pinaster]

To IDR:
Well, my friend, If thats the kind of stories you tell in your parties, no wonder why your neighboroughs call the police. What kind of idiotic tale is that? Please, read it again. Whats your point? ....I dont get it, are you trying to tell us something about swiss people, or spanish people?
To drive a car, you need a driving lincense, to post a comment, you just need... eeer... well... ummmm... well, whatever.

[Jonathan Wilton]

Oh well. I found it funny and well written, but then I have a reasonable grasp of English.

I'll tell you something else I found funny. Throughout last season, we were assured by the Alonso contingent that Hamilton would be floundering helplessly if he didn't have Alonso to set the car up for him.
And yet in Melbourne this year, what did the world see?

Hamilton, streaking into the distance and winning comfortably.

Maybe Alonso came across and set the car up for him. Not.

[alex [not actuallly the real one but slightly funnier than him anyway]]

Did Ed wake up next to a Straw Donkey's head ??

Come on Mr Gorman, no need to be frightened, tell it how it is, you are probably fairly safe, it is only the internet you know.

“To drive a car, you need a driving lincense, to post a comment, you just need... eeer... well... ummmm... well, whatever.”

To post a comment in this blog, what one probably need is jus a lot of anger.

Anyhow, you’re welcome.

[F1 Bet King]

All this nonsense about Alonso and Hamilton is seriously boring me zzzzz

i don't know why we can't all just get behind the best, most decent, and nicest driver in F1... Kimi Raikkonen!!

I reserve all my respect for Kimi. He just doesn't seem to like all the crap surrounding F1- he just wants to race and go home.

I remember a couple of years ago Kimi crashing out at Monte Carlo GP and 5 mins later he's in his private yacht with women around him and a glass of champagne in his hand!

TO PINASTER

“To drive a car, you need a driving lincense, to post a comment, you just need... eeer... well... ummmm... well, whatever.”

To post a comment in this blog, what one only need is just a lot of anger. And I’m pretty sure that you should do a perfect job as a Policeman, but not as my Neighbour.

Anyhow, you’re welcome.

[D]

^
F1 BK >

Perhaps if Kimi had spent less time getting drunk on yachts with bimbos and more time helping engineers develop racing cars, he could have won a world championship himself without needing a car and a team left to him by somebody who did, and without having to compete in something that failed to comply with the regulations to which others were adhering.

Not, of course, that you could blame him for the latter, because to discover how his car worked would have meant him having to put down his bottle of booze.

[Andy G]

TO THE (and I quote) SPAMISH (as the Iberians are referred to further up this blog)

Guys - some of you need a sense of humour. Here's a little story about FA lengthening his stride to avoid some paps - what's wrong with that? We Brits are all familiar with and most of us are fond of Python - and so the funny walks is something we want to hear about.

If you don't understand the language/humour, don't have the references then listen not speak, or stay away!

It's just boring hearing your rabid pro-Alonso/Espania stuff.

Unsurprisingly that goes down well in your country but not anywhere else.

And we are sick of it here.

[Kate C-J]

Well, since it's a sense of humour that is missing from so many comments on the blog, your piece, Ed, is a tonic and a good reminder to all of us to lighten up.

[J. Pérez]

Joan,

Stop insulting this blog's Spanish readers. I am very sorry that Catalonia is not and will never be an independent country, but most Spanish citizens are not to blame for that. Most of them could not care less, as a matter of fact.

It is very sad that your hatred towards everything Spanish (also towards yourself because by being from Catalonia you're also part of Spanish culture) has led you to become the sycophant of a second rate writer who has to make use of mockery to a segment of his readers to keep what he writes interesting.

Anyway, I love the ingenious, albeit simplistic, Spamish term. Unfortunately you'll use it ad nauseam and it loose its freshness and appeal.

[jordi]

Andy G: If you are sick of alonsos fans posting here, just ask Ed to stop writing about him on subjects that have nothing to do with F1.

He could write a joke about Takuma and the way he farts just before getting inside his car. I'm aware that you English people find very funny disgusting habits like farting and burping. That way, the Spanish will stop writing and perhaps Ed will get some Japanes attention.

[Johnny P-)]

Nothing remarkable in Ed's post, but for:

Someone misses points around, even that I'm not Johnny P, but Johnny P-)...

Some other people should better not post, just to hide their tribalism...

This year Alonso's "wooden car" won't be fast and reliable enough to catch up the first class cars, but for a couple of GPs. This fact does not make him anny better/worse driver or person, but gives him the opportunity to "watch the bulls from the barrier"... let's analyze the consequences later on this year.

It seems that, while the WDC is wide open, Fernando will have the opportunity to demonstrate his a nice but shy guy, as seen from Ed's Post.

Thanks Ed, for comparing FA to John Cleese, the finest driving as pleasing as the finest humor.

[Andrew]

I've seen geometry finals tests with fewer parentheses.

Honestly I was annoyed so greatly by your incessant monologuing that I skipped most of it in hope that the last two paragraphs would bring the article to a finale without any more of your poignant annotation. Sadly I was disappointed.

Seriously, I've seen better articles done by grade schoolers.

[Jay]

ed, you're a dick, try to be a journalist!!

[Santi]

Ed, I cannot believe The Times pays you money for this kind of articles (?) or whatever they are.

Regarding to the so-called "Fernando fascists" by some LH fans here, I would say you better look for fascists at home. Please Ed, illuminate us a bit with some details of Max Mosley's nazi sexual party. That will be definitely hilarious. Too bad you weren't there, uh? I mean, in order to describe it.

nice one ED next time try to write something about F1, oh! and please try to keep it a bit more interesting. i couldn't finish it and i'm afraid i wasn't the only one. u bore me to death!!

[Kay]

Alonso crazies that a good one. I can't stand Alonso. Every newspaper in spain worship this egoistic man. The only reason, Alonso fans hate Lewis is because he is mix-race. If Kimi, was Alonso team-mate and had beaten him these Franco racist wouldn't have a problem with Kimi winning. Why don't the spanish stay on their own blogs? It's because their need to convince us Brits of our wrong ways how can we back a man who only half white. Remember their, minster for sport comments about our Lewis Hamilton? The spanish are unashamedly vile racist. It's time their left our blogs in peace. I am a proud Lewis Hamilton fan, he British and great. TO ALL THE Spanish NUTS MOVE ON!!! Leave us in peace...

[Cansada]

It is incredible not just the Ed's post or people post, it is the insult and the lack of respect to spanish people and Fernando. Can you stop talking about us?. Are you envy of spanish, Spain or Fernando?, beacuse I can't understand all this insults against us. Please, respect the people and you are demostrating the racist you are.

Did you get really journalist degree?, because the first thing that you have to learn is respect, honour and to be polite with people. BUt english people have double face, and are demostrating that are so inculture, because everything that i have read in this newsapper in not truth.

The only thing that you are demostrating with this type of post or comments is that the racist people are english people not spanish, this is truth because i have been living in England and I finnished scared with the big big big problem you have with racism. England is the most racist country in Europe.

PLease don't try to teach anyone, first look at your problems. Stop insulting spanish people, spanish country and Fernando.

[Flipando]

To Kay: I don't know if you are as inculture as a stone or as intelligent as a stick, but you really don't know anything about us, and you think that you can insult us. please to be more polite and more intelligent, because you are calling us racist, Franco and Fernando too. Did you ever hear him something racist from Fernando?, do you really think that spanish people hate Lewis because he is brown skinned, please please, we are hating bacause he has a big big big mouth, because he is a spoiled child, a whiner,...We don't mind if he is black, brown, white or green. Please be serious and don't invent anything.

Now you know why all european countries hate english people, because you have this type of behaviours against the other people, this racist behaviours, please learn before and then speak. You are the only francos.

Ah! one stop, Frnaco was a horrible man and one of the worst man in the world, but this dictatoship wasn't racist as Hitler's dictatorship, wasn't nothing similar, he just killed spanish people like Pinoched in Chile. Please study more and don't invent nothing more, stupid and lies.

What the minister said???. Goverment didn't say nothing about this problem with Lewis, as your goverment, because exist things more importants in the world than your Hamilton crying as a baby.

[D]

^
Flipando >

The merit of the good points that you do make is undermined by you on the one hand criticising nationalistic generalisations and on the other hand proclaiming: "Now you know why all european countries hate english people, because you have this type of behaviours against the other people, this racist behaviours, please learn before and then speak. You are the only francos."

You'd do well to grasp that what people despise most of all in Mosley is his hypocrisy.

[CHIUNDA]

Joan:

The following quote is attributed to Ross Brawn - i don't know how accurate it is but you can use this as you wait for a more detailed post from Ed on the subject matter:-

"It is a false belief that a driver can tell the engineers how to make the car faster. The driver's role is limited to describing his impressions to the engineers so that the data can be interpreted correctly."
- Ross Brawn

[tommy]

Dear Ed
Being neither English nor Spanish, not Ferrari fan and thus having no axe to grind I have to say that this 'article' wasn't your best. Get over your negative obsession with Alonso. Hamilton has on numerous occasions (BBC's Top Gear for instance) desribed him as a fantastic driver which he undoubtedly is.

To many of us who have been followers of F1 for decades its a man's driving skills that matters the most. Most of the top drivers have been prima donnas at one time or another during their career (many for the whole of their career)

Your sniping at Alonso is tedious and childish - enough ok.

[Kay]

Great Britain, more racist then Spain? Well you are a Alonso nut fan. 70 years of Franco rule must have an affect on your attitude and view of other peoples. Firstly the British have never HAD A NAZI dictatorship. Mad-Max and his family were put in jail and in my opinion should have been executed. Your country recent history is build on Nazi believes. Didn't Kimi, win the WDC, but I don't see any hate aim at him. Also isn't it illegal in F1 for a team-mates to under perform? Isn't F1 a sport? Or do you believe non whites shouldn’t be in F1? I been to spain, and I have never meet a non racist spaninsh person. When I ask the spanish people why there hate Lewis Hamilton, their tell me it because he English and he isn't full white. If Lewis Hamilton father was a white man and he was a blue eyes blonde, no one in spain would hate him. Their would have worship him. As for cry baby that must go to Alonso, he can't handle Lewis Hamilton, on the track so he as to encourage his vile fans to racially abuse Lewis. He attacking Massa, and Massa isn’t even his team-mate. Poor Nelson, is unable to compete against him so tell me who the cry baby not my Lewis!!! Lewis had problems in GP2 in Spain, he should have really won in Spain. Also the Spanish wasn’t only abusing Lewis there were also abusing the Asian drivers also. Let don’t talk about the contribution, we British have to make to the EU, to help out Franco spain, and how thousands of our homes are being put down by the Spanish authorises. My home was put down in spain, I had to come back to Britain after losing £250,000 from my home. Their should remove the 2 GP from your country. The British people should be on the street asking back for our contribution to the EU.

[Caroline]

If the Europeans hate us so much, GIVE US BACK OUR MONEY.

[D]

^
In 1993, Ayrton Senna said to McLaren that he felt there was something wrong with a particular engine.

The engineers were sceptical; there was no sign on the telemetry of anything being amiss. They thought he was either imagining it or making excuses.

Ron Dennis, however, trusted Ayrton Senna. He had the engine stripped down. it was found to contain a hairline crack in one of its valves.

[D]

^
As Kay has amply demonstrated, there are just as many British contributors who let their own side down as there are Spanish.

There are fine Spaniards and there are fine Britons on this blog - and there are bigoted morons posting from both countries, too.

Could we try to evaluate every one of our fellows here upon the intellectual objectivity of what they post rather than the flag they have emblazoned on their underwear?

(Speaking of which, I did like the chequered flag that The News of the World used to spare us all the unwelcome sight of Max Mosley's naked buttocks. Lovely touch, that!)

[J. Pérez]

Hey Kay, Now I understand you resentment.

But anyway, it was 39 years of Franco's rule . More than enough in my humble opinion but, please, check your facts.

You say "When I ask the spanish (sic) people why there (sic) hate Lewis Hamilton, their (sic) tell me it because he English and he isn't full white".

I say bullshit. That's a dirty lie and you know it. I will not deny that race related problems has increased in Spain due to a sudden surge in immigration, but I think we are doing much better than other countries in trying to integrate and accommodate this newly arrived Spanish citizens.

I'm sorry that your home in Spain was torn down. It was an illegal construction perhaps? Did you check that it had all permits in order?

I was going to reply to the rest of your tirade, but it's so absurd and freaked out that I will not bother to fuel your misconceptions.

Kay, please, take care of yourself.

PS: Concerning the British contribution to UE funds received by Spain, ask first the thousands of British (and Irish and Germans) senior citizens that have decided to spend their last years in our wonderful coast and receive Spanish medical attention without paying a single dime (even though they've never contributed a single dime to the system).

[Victor]

KAY:

Are you saying that seriously? I haven´t read so many stupid things in so few lines in a long time.

You haven´t met any non-racist spaniard?

70 years of Franco Nazi dictatorship?

People hate Lewis because his brown skin and abuse the asian pilots?

I think you should return to school and meet more spanish people because you know nothing about us.

Ed, I don´t think it´s a good idea to keep with this kind of threads instead of F1 ones.

[Peter]

Wow! I am not sure if it is more interesting to read your blog or all the comments! In any case one wonders why you are so obsessed with Alonso,...It seems a bit unhealthy that you should ",..lie awake at night worrying about it,...". Sounds like unrequited love,...

[Rosa]

Do me a favour. Get a life

[Bryan]

Ed, just a quick comment/question? What the hell is with all the brackets? A few in a article are okay, but half of the writing falls within brackets, (I exaggerate for effect, but you get the idea). See, that is a proper use of brackets. I counted at least 18 sets, unless I missed some because there are various occasions where you actually end one sentence with a bracketed comment, and then start the next sentence inside another bracketed comment. Please, please, please learn some proper grammer if you are going to be writing for the public, besides I'm assuming you are English, you guys invented the damn language, please don't butcher it as if you were an American or something. Try using a comma or two, they have the same effect as brackets, and make your wrting a lot cleaner.

Cheers,

Bryan

[amc]

Oh for heavens sake...get a grip people! I'm a HUGE (british) supporter of Fernando, and I thought that was hilarious! In fact, everyone seems to have missed the point of appreciating Fernando's humour.

I personally don't like reading Mr Gorman's articles recently as they are what you'd expect - biased in slight patriotism as any other country's media is. Not exactly the most credible sports journalism.

But credit where credit is due here - cynically as it may be...you got what you aimed for Mr Gorman...a reaction and putting across a pretty good story, and humour, all in one! Bravo...

Pity it will be business as usual soon enough.

And if the blog is moderated, why let on the scores of 'fans', both british and spanish throwing baseless insults of each other?

There's many reasons why I stopped reading here...my respect for the Time's credibility has diminished somewhat as all they are happy to do is provoke meaningless controversy and 'hatred' between difference nations of fans.

That aside...LIGHTEN UP and appreciate the humour for what it is!! If you can't do that, then at least appreciate that Mr Gorman highlighted a nice thing about Fernando...which by Ed's standard, is hard to come by!!

I'd take it while you can! :)

[JL, Madrid]

Well, I'm not sure if I have understood the deepest sense of humour of this article, but I think it is really bad. Because many Spaniards are interested in learning English we are visiting this newspaper, and Alonso is our candy-target. He is our first F1 champion an Britons need to know how proudly we are on. In the other hand, maybe was James Hunt the latest English champion? I think Hamilton will win in the future, maybe this year.

Rivality in good for sport,and congratulations for this newspaper beause your articles about Spaniard sportmen in GB are usually very interesting.

[Increible]

Kay, I think everyone close your big mouth, is as big as Hamilton mouth.

Please don't lie more, and don't try to teach us anything because you are demostrating your big lack of culture.

Franco dictatorship was 36 years (1939-1975), I was borned after so I didn't know and live in dictatorship, but I studied that and i can hear to my parents or grandfathers speaking about dictatorship and civil world, and believe yoyu don't know nothing about dicatorship there are so many types, and Franco's dicatorship was horrible and terrible, but don't worry wasn't racist one, he just kill and hang to spanish people, foreigner people hadn't problems never. Hitler and holocaust, just happened in Germany, the others dictatorship is like in spain just kill and mistreat their own people, not foreigners.

If you buy a house illegal, you have this problems, somebody tricked you or you knew that it was illegal and tried to buy cheap, don't exist cheap houses in Spain. The price of houses in Spain is one of the most expensive in Europe, so don't try to buy a bargain. We have to work very hard for having a house in my city, do you think that you are going to buy so easy? you have to work and look at what are you buying very good.

You never met spanish people and never speak, maybe somebody with you speak as racist as you are speaking told you that you are right because he was scary of you or maybe he was the person that bought you a house.

Spain have several foreigners and i think we are doing the best that we can, there are no problems like in England that skin heads or racist people are killing people in the streets, don't try to lie me, because i can read it in the newspaper and this things don't happened in Spain. I can tell and probably it is truth, we are the less racist in Europe and England is the most. If you don't know, European comunity warned to 5 countries in europe, that they have very hard problems with racism in their countries and they have to fix up, and finnish with this inmediatly, one of them was UK, Spain didn't appear, so maybe you are living in your own world or in your own dream, because reality in your country and in my country is very different that you are telling.

UK don't give us money, now we don't need, but at the beginning several years ago, the only countries who helps new memebers were Germany and France, they are the real beginers and countries that had more risk. UK have to give to spanish social security millions of euros. Uk people come to Spain for surgery or everything because is free, but it is free for you because we are paying every month from our salary, not for you is for people that is living and working in Spain, your country have to return our money. You never help to any country and less Spain, so don't try to seem a superhero because you don't.

Spain is a very good country, so many people fought against dicatorship many years ago, and they built a fair and beautiful country now it is. Be more respectful and stop insult, because you want to defend Hamilton. If you try to study or know about history of Spain, if not don't speak about because you are so ridiculous.

[No]

Your blog is pathetic, really pathetic.

[Como]

Kay, try to buy legal house, not to buy a bargain bacause don't exist. Stupid people like you is a easy target because anyone can trick you very easy. jajaja.

[Solo]

In UK i were living some months in a small city in the middle of this country. It is a city with 60.000 inhabitants, there were in there skin heads, they hit very hard to a german friend, just because he was german, we were afraid. It is 60.000 inhabitants. My cu¡ity in Spain has 200.000 and don't exist this problems and of course don't exist skin heads, we never had racist problems and we have several inmigrants in here. I think is very good for every country to have inmigrants, we are growing and earning more money and respect. This racist problems exist in big big big cities but in Spain and every country in the world because in there, there are the most stupid and unculture people and the most culture and nice people, more amount.

Please look at your bottom before insult to anybody because UK is not the example of not racist country. Asked for to family of this brazilian boy that english police killed him because he seemed terrorist. This is one example, exist millions.

[D]

^
Solo >

We've had quite enough of looking at bottoms on here, thank you.

[elmaska]

"Nice" blog...is this information or just gratuity controversy?. Just a "must-forget" link. Thanks all of you.

[Manolo Sobrino]

So, keeping the same silly stuff from last season. There's a lot of racism in here, and a childish journalist unable to cope with it. Back your fellows man, it's the sensible thing to do if you're just a hooligan in white collar.

As for the rest... the usual narrow-minded Brits claiming to be smarter than anybody else. The Empire is over guys, grow up and reconsider binge drinking.

[D]

^
Bryan >

Don't know what time zone you're in but you were a day too early to tell Ed, in a London newspaper, to "learn some proper grammer" (sic) in a 146 word, unparagraphed complaint.

As for the frequency of brackets, I think he was trying to investigate the bizarre, persisting problem that causes his computer to delete the preceding space every time he presses the ( key.

We are all hoping the new laptop he told us he'd be getting before Sakhir will not be similarly afflicted.

What he needs, of course, is a Mac.

^
Elmaska >

If you're leaving gratuities, please send mine to Ed and ask him to forward it.

[Yo]

I agree with you Manolo, short but right

[Praveen]

Hi,

Why are you guys so critical of Alonso?

C'mon, take a break. If writing such articles is giving you solace, then that's a sign of deep frustration.

Being an F1 enthusiast from a neutral country, I feel one should give credit where its due. C'mon, it's just a sport ya.

After the Max saga in Chelsea, wonder what's next.

Thanks.

[Maximo]

This is embarrasing Ed, really embarrasing your blog and english comments. O don't know how can you look at yourself in the mirror every morning

[D]

^
Good advice, Manolo; after wading through these threads I am seriously considering taking up binge-drinking.

^
Yo >

Isn't short but right what Bernie believes himself to be?

[pepeespaña]

Real humor is that the english gentleman Max Mosley was filmed in a amateur nazi porn film, and his father was a good friend of Hitler.....and the English Govern rewards him with title of "Sir"( the father of Max)....hahaha is this the "no racist humor" of all the people in England??

[Simple Spaniard]

Brilliant!! Great example of british sense of humour and irony this pal, Ed.. It´s a pity no other human being finds the point.. In fact I thought an sport journalist needed to know something abt sport.. anyway. Congratulations, Ed. people like U and Max Mosley will rise Great Great Britain up!!

[martin]

Love it! You have a way with words and I can just visualize the scene!