Grapevine: News from the Paddock - Monaco GP

On the Ball

Italian Giancarlo Fisichella, of Jordan-Honda, and Renault reserve driver Fernando Alonso delighted their Ferrari-driving Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA) football team captain Michael Schumacher by netting the goals that secured a 2-1 victory in the pre-Monaco Grand Prix football match on Tuesday evening.

A 3,000-capacity crowd in the Menton Garavan Stadium watched the game, against HRH Prince Albert of Monaco's Star Team for Children, which was closely contested and saw Namibian Frankie Fredericks, the four-time Olympic sprint silver medallist, get one goal for the opposition.

Boating Life

Canadian Jacques Villeneuve is right at home on the harbour in Monte Carlo because he now lives on his boat in the Mediterranean. The former Formula One champion recently ditched his old Monaco apartment in favour of a secretly located motor yacht. But he has kept the name of the boat a secret to allow himself to obtain the full benefits of life on the water.

"Living on a boat is like living on an island," he said. "It is fantastic. You invite on all the people you want to be with and don't have to worry about the others. That doesn't sound very sociable but it is perfect for me to switch off. A day relaxing on the boat is as therapeutic as three days in my apartment. You can party and play your guitar as loudly and as badly as you like."

Sponsored Breakfast

Jordan took an innovative approach to their regular British journalists' breakfast on Thursday morning when they brought sponsor Damovo onboard to back the morning event. Their plan was rumoured by some to be a bid to save money and still put on the show but, unfortunately for the sponsors, former World Champion Mika Hakkinen's 2002 paddock debut, which was scheduled for 9:30am in the McLaren communications centre, made the breakfast more of a munch and go.

Damovo, however, still believed they got something out of it, and sent the happily filled scribes off with handy little document folders to keep hold of all the important press releases.

Second Offence

It seems Australian Mark Webber will never learn. After being hit by a $1,000 fine for speeding in the pitlane during practice at the last Grand Prix in Austria, the Minardi driver has put his foot on the throttle in the slow lane once again. This time it was exiting the tight Monaco pits and, although he was just 1.5km/h over the limit, his bank balance was lightened with a further fine of $500.