Grapevine: News from the Paddock - US GP

Chocoholic Indiana

While German Michael Schumacher was meeting children, his compatriots Nick Heidfeld and Heinz-Harald Frentzen were eating chocolate when they attended the 20th annual Indiana Chocolate Fest. Heidfeld, who lives in Switzerland, said: "Switzerland is known for their excellent choice of chocolate so I was curious to see how American-made chocolate tastes." The Moenchengladbach driver diplomatically added: "It's very good too." The event was held at the Indianapolis Artsgarden and after an autograph session the two drivers visited the participating chefs, restaurants and chocolate makers. The piece de resistance, however, was when the pair created their own chocolate dessert and a cheesy Frentzen said: "This was the sweetest experience I have made with Sauber so far!"

Hospital Visit

World Champion Michael Schumacher was called into action to undertake his first duties as a special ambassador to San Marino on Wednesday when he joined Ferrari boss Jean Todt for a visit to the Riley Hospital for children in Indianapolis. Schumacher was handed the ambassador honour at the start of the month and he took his new role in his stride as he chatted to children and handed them a model of his World Championship winning Ferrari F2002. Professor Howard Eigen, the director of the Pneumology and Intensive Care department, said: "We are really grateful to Jean Todt and Michael Schumacher. The children and their families and all of us have really appreciated their generosity and the felling of warmth that it generated - the smiles on the faces of our little patients is its most eloquent proof."

Ridiculed Reality TV

Jordan's plans to be the centre of a reality television show that will offer a total rookie the chance to drive in Formula One in 2007 were greeted with general shock, amusement and derision in the Indianapolis paddock as journalists arrived to work this weekend. Last year it was the shock story of a proposed 'American Eagle' Formula One team that drew the paddock laughter when its apparent figurehead Phil Hill admitted to knowing nothing about the plans.

This year it was Jordan's revelation that they and sports marketing firm SlaterHerd are some way down the line with the proposal for the show, which would see judges shortlist a number of drivers and allow viewers to vote for their favourites. The prize: a three-year apprenticeship culminating in their Grand Prix debut. Cruel comments such as "that will never happen" added to "will the team or even Formula One be around then?" did little to help the plan's credibility. But the suggestion is little different to the team taking on a pay driver and it would go a good way to helping Formula One move further into the public eye again.

Firman's Canal

Ralph Firman was only kept out of the last race because of an inner ear imbalance that was giving him "fake vertigo" but it sounded like he had suffered a recurrence of concussion when he spoke with the press ahead of his return to the cockpit for Friday testing at Indianapolis. The Briton, who had not raced since the German Grand Prix after crashing out in practice for the Hungarian Grand Prix, tried to explain his illness but was his explanation of his specialist's comments did little to encourage. "The specialist said crystals had fallen off the inner ear and were in some canal, bouncing around," said Firman. Still, he managed to complete the full two-hour test session without complaining over the radio of birds flying around his head.