Grapevine: Final News from the Paddock - European GP

Becker Guests

Former tennis star Boris Becker was a guest of the McLaren team at the European Grand Prix and the German was given a closer insight into the world of Formula One. Becker was treated to some time in the garage with drivers Kimi Raikkonen and David Coulthard and also got the full tour of the team's state-of-the-art communications center. Becker will now follow McLaren back to England as he travels to Wimbledon to commentate on this year's championship, which starts on Monday.

Spanish Pain

Pedro de la Rosa and Fernando Alonso were prime targets for jokes on Saturday after Spain had been beaten on penalties in their World Cup quarter-final with co-hosts South Korea. De la Rosa, who had completed just six laps in the practice sessions as the game went on, was made fun of by his Jaguar team as a life-size cardboard cutout of him was placed outside of the team's motorhome.

The scoreline was placed on the cutout along with a message worded as: "Aiee Caramba Espana - Dey A'Goin Home". Alonso, meanwhile, was taunted by his Renault teammate Jarno Trulli after the Italian had been the one to suffer after South Korea had overcome Italy in the previous round.

Laud And Clear

Niki Lauda managed to bring the Nurburgring paddock to a standstill late on Saturday evening. The Jaguar Racing team principal spent ten minutes signing caps for throngs of spectators at the exit of the track, forcing waiting journalists to simply stand and watch with the route out firmly blocked by a ten-deep line of fans. Ironically, only one adoring race-goer asked the Austrian to sign a Jaguar cap, while the remainder of the German crowd pleaded for their Michael Schumacher-Ferrari caps to be signed.

Mean Schumacher

World Champion Michael Schumacher showed a mean streak to the German crowd before Sunday's European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring as he left a race marshal embarrassed. The marshal chased the 22 drivers as they were taken round the circuit on a truck and paraded to the crowds and he managed to hand Schumacher a folder to sign. The German Ferrari driver duly obliged but despite his best efforts the marshal was unable to keep pace with the truck taking the drivers on the tour of the circuit. Instead, Schumacher chose to throw the folder back, but after failing to catch it, the red-faced marshal was left to pick up the contents which were strewn across the track.