Another blow-up for Williams!

The team had checked in a nose cone and subsequently picked up the package from the baggage carousel as usual and headed off to their hire cars in the car park.

So far so good, but unfortunately someone forgot to actually load the nose into the car. The test team then headed off to the circuit leaving the package standing in the middle of the car park.

"The airport security staff found the neatly wrapped aluminium package and decided they weren't going to touch it," said Williams technical director Patrick Head with a wry grin. "Instead they decided to strap some dynamite to it and blew it into a thousand pieces." By the time the mistake was realised and a Williams man returned to the airport, there was nothing left to retrieve.

"We were contemplating an insurance claim but were told in no uncertain French terms not to bother..." Head explained.