iWITNESS Monaco Saturday

Posted on Sunday 27 May 2007 and tagged with iwitness.

The 'Stad Amsterdam', the Clipper being used to host AT&T Willams, Randstad and Battery guests this weekend, was the scene of another big party last night. The international media gathered on the boat to learn about the synergies between the seven-year old sailboat and Formula 1. 'Actually,' said the captain, 'there are none.' We are nothing but honest! 'Taxi!' Was that double world champion Mika Hakkinen we saw driving a black cab through the Principality's streets last night? In his role as global ambassador for Johnnie Walker, Mika led a team of taxi drivers that gave free rides to drunken revellers. Mika won the Monaco GP in '98, but no lap records were broken last night. Only a few beer bottles. 'Just total commitment,' said Nico Rosberg. 'You have to be brave everywhere on this track, and I was.' That is how AT&T Williams' Nico Rosberg qualified fifth for today's race. What is it about the Monaco GP and drivers' helmets? Or, more specifically, Rubens Barrichello's helmet. Last year he used IRL driver Tony Kanaan's lid and this year he's covered his lid in heat-sensitive paint. 'When the weather's cold,' he says, 'the colour is black. But when the paint reaches 27 degrees, it changes into my normal colour scheme.' Er. why?