Cigarettes out of step in French fashion

First on the catwalk is a little yellow number from the ageing rock outfit, Jordan. A bit of a disappointment considering the glamour pusses promoting the team, with just the words Buzzin' & Hornets adorning the bright cars.

And the Irish team is clearly out of step. This is the third year Eddie's boys have sported this style, and new is in as McLaren is demonstrating.

Keen to keep up with the French F1 haute couture, the team has gone for the little black and silver number patterned with the words Mika and David - glamorous, but cosy is Woking's contradictory statement for summer '99.

New to the show this year is BAR with two reasons to avoid the French pitfalls - 555 and Lucky Strike. With its glamorous blond bombshell and 'Generation Y' man, Jacques Villeneuve, surely a new millennium theme is in?

Afraid not, retro is the answer, with one side of the car back in the mod years of the sixties when parkas were on many a scooter boy's back complete with red and white targets. And with BAR's performances so far this year, the team may as well send the guys out on their Vespas.

The other member of the Britpack sashaying in the French sun is Williams. Now the stylists here have clearly been out to lunch too long. The style is a mishmash of colours, with a new age orangey-sunrise-type-thing on the nose.

Moving quickly on, and surprisingly, the Italian Benetton team has not made any phone calls to Milan for advice. The cars are parading with just a few extra 'Benetton' stickers on the cars. Not much to get excited about there, but it might sell a few more sweaters.

Finally comes Ferrari. Like McLaren the team is looking bold, with tried and trusted red and white. Unlike McLaren though, they've adopted the anonymous look, no first names on these cars. Why? Because everyone knows who they are.