Grapevine: News from the Paddock - Belgian GP

Model Attraction

Arrows drivers Jos Verstappen and Enrique Bernoldi enjoyed a Chello performance in the paddock on Friday as they lined up for a photo shoot. Nothing to do with music, however, this was another encounter for the Chello-backed boys with one of the team's lycra-clad models.

After meeting up with orange-clad Hungarian actress Bernadette Gregor in the last race, the pair posed with television presenter Tanja Dexters, who won the Miss Belgium crown in 1998. But the exhilaration did not turn into track results as Verstappen ended the day 17th with Bernoldi 20th.

England Stamped On By German Schu

In the second press football match of the year, organised by McLaren sponsors West, England slumped to another defeat as their German opponents fielded a significant ringer. By all accounts, the match was a close fought clash in the first half, despite the clear age and fitness advantage held by the Germans. But an early goal at the start of the second half which took the score to 3-1 seemed critical, and with the Germans now benefiting from one ultra-fit player in the form of Michael Schumacher, there was little chance from there on.

A floating ball which rebounded off the crossbar signalled the end to England's chances and as their players tired the Germans took the advantage to roll out 7-2 winners. Michael Schumacher's appearance displayed that a truly extraordinary racing driver can still be an ordinary man as he cheered with his teammates and shook hands with his rivals, but with heads bowed low there was much discussion amongst the British journalists as they analysed where it went wrong again.

Bernie Walkabout

Bernie Ecclestone paid a visit to the media centre on Friday as the circuit showed Formula One's boss just how much effort they are putting in to ensure Spa-Francorchamps remains on the calendar in the future. The media centre is not the best on the Formula One circuit, but Ecclestone seemed suitably impressed as he wandered around pestering journalists and checking out the facilities.

President of the Walloon region, Jean Claude Van Cauwenberghe and Serge Kubla, Minister of economics and tourism, were on hand to watch Ecclestone officially open the new centre.