Grapevine: Paddock Life - Montreal edition

The media centre was pretty muted most of the time - barring the occasional live on television suicide run of a groundhog (which apparently are very similar to coipu, but only Bridgestone know the reason why) across the track and into the path of the nearest racing car.

In fact, the local wildlife proved to be a big draw for some team members around the back of the paddock, where it juts into the former Olympic Rowing Basin.

Williams's Frank Dernie was seen taking photographs of some small beast close up as it poked its head above water, while further down Honda's chief mechanic Alistair Gibson enjoyed a competition with some of his team members in skimming stones as far as they could across the water.

Talking of Honda Racing, the team found themselves besieged by most of the paddock on Sunday morning. Thankfully this time - on a weekend when they probably wished the media would just leave them alone for five minutes - it was for actually for being one of the only teams to get something right.

With the F1 circus having arrived in Montreal fired up by World Cup fever at home, the excitement was carried forward as the group games were all shown live on television screens up and down the paddock.

Come Sunday morning, with excitement mounting among the England contingent about their clash with Ecuador, there was suddenly plenty of frantic scrambling around when everyone realised the game was not broadcast on Canadian television. The locals were getting all excited about the build-up to a Formula One race in Montreal for some reason!

So with various satellite tuners trying to find a signal, most teams could only find a black and white image and no sound. Not Honda, though.

There, in glorious Technicolor on two large screens, they broadcast the matches to whoever could bare standing in the hot sunshine. It was a shame the noise of cars getting ready for the race interrupted the end of the match...

It was hard to get away from talk of the World Cup at all throughout the weekend. While many in the paddock were just worried about the matches over-running and clashing with F1 track activity, BMW's Nick Heidfeld reckoned the sport should actually be taking a break now.

Having been seen rushing from his car after Saturday practice to grab a view of the Germany v Sweden match, he reckoned Bernie Ecclestone needed to make a big change to the calendar.

"We are nearly all football fans and want to watch the games," he said. "I am sure the same applies to many F1 fans. I don't think it would have been too hard to put a break in the calendar."

Even McLaren boss Ron Dennis, the one man you would not expect to get too excited about the World Cup, joined in the fun a little bit. Well, maybe.

His traditional 'Meet the Team' (AKA 'Meet the Ron') media briefing took place on Saturday afternoon and, after a slow start, he urged the journalists present to push on with their questions. "Ask them now," he demanded. "I want to go and watch the football."

But then, just a few minutes later when he was asked about whether the World Cup is a distraction for team members, especially with England's Ecuador game taking place right before the race start in Montreal, his response was: "I didn't know England were playing tomorrow."

That statement didn't really make much sense. Why would Dennis be so keen to rush off and watch Argentina v Mexico on Saturday afternoon, yet not care when England's next game was?

Is he a closet Argentina fan? Or maybe he just got Mexico in an office sweepstake...

Ralf Schumacher can be unpredictable at times.

On track, there can be occasions like the 2003 French Grand Prix when he is head and shoulders above his peers and able to cruise to dominant victories. Then there are days like Canada 2006 when it appears he couldn't even drive in a straight line if he tried.

It is the same off the track, too. Sometimes he does everything he can to be awkward and especially antagonistic to the British press, who he still holds in contempt for their treatment of his brother during his years of fighting with Damon Hill.

Then, there are evenings like last Thursday night, when he proved gloriously entertaining during a dinner put on by his Toyota team.

He talked at length about the sport, his team, Juan Pablo Montoya, the media - and of course brother Michael and 'Rascassegate'.

Most of his opinions sadly he would not like being reported out in the open, but he was very specific about whether he believed his brother had deliberately stopped his car on qualifying at Monte Carlo to try and impede Fernando Alonso.

"Well if it was a mistake," Ralf said plenty of times before always pausing and correcting himself. "But I am not saying it was a mistake...."

Read into that what you will.