Grapevine: Paddock Life - Hungary edition

Swiss journalist Roger Benoit attempted to arrange a re-enactment in Hungary last weekend with Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa, but the idea was shot down by Ferrari, reportedly because of the war currently being waged between the two teams off the track.

"We did not see why it was necessary for us to do this photo," a Ferrari spokesman told autosport.com. "There is no protocol that says we must do it."

Many people arriving at the paddock over the weekend were intrigued by the occupant of the car parking space reserved for Jenson Button - an ancient, bright-orange Trabant.

A few obvious cheap shots were made drawing comparisons between the little piece of eastern European automotive hell and the car that Jenson drove on the track, but the Trabant, along with a sister one that appeared on Sunday, was there for a good reason.

Four Honda technicians have committed themselves to crawling the 2000km back home to England with the aim of raising money for the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths.

Although the average speed is expected to be on the wrong side of 60 km/h, the Trabants at least looked the part - one was decked out in Honda's version of a Dukes of Hazzard livery; the other was painted up as a sheriff's car.

Every F1 pass carries a disclaimer reminding you that motorsport is dangerous, but this took on a new meaning during the height of the McLaren post-qualifying debacle on Saturday when a photographer was knocked unconscious during a press scrum.

Chinese photographer Thomas Lam was caught in the stampede when Ron Dennis, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso left the steward's hearing, prompting an intriguing blend of humanity ('Is he OK?') with professionalism ('Did you get the shot?').

Lam, thankfully, was OK, and after receiving medical attention, was back in action on Sunday.

Spending time at airports is an occupational hazard for F1 folk, and the art of getting in and out of a terminal in the shortest possible time is one that those denied the luxury of chartered flights are well-rehearsed in.

So a press release issued late on Sunday by Hungarian race organisers under the heading 'Strike at Ferihegy' - Ferihegy being Budapest's airport - was unwelcome news.

The strike, inspired by a union dispute, was exquisitely timed to start between 4:30 Sunday aftenoon and end at midnight, thus neatly covering the regular post-race exodus of people trying to get home from the race.