27.03.2010
Several people have asked us which car Lewis was driving that could have possibly ‘enticed’ him to pull a broadslide when exiting the Albert Park circuit last night, so we thought we’d let you know that it was in Merc’s very own hot-rod, the 449 bhp 6.2-litre V8-engined C63 AMG.
Mercedes-Benz could not have paid for a better marketing opportunity than that.
Anyone who has driven a C63 will know that it’s virtually impossible ‘not’ to hoon around in Merc’s bahn-stormer, and I’d expect nothing less of a 25-year old racing driver when presented with the opportunity.
Whilst many have countered that the ex-F1 World Champion is a role model and should set an example for other young drivers, especially as the FIA governing body seeks to promote road safety in 2010, this is another example of the kind of hypocrisy that permeates through modern society and is used to lambast the errant behaviour of public figures.
Formula 1 is a sport that was created to revere the most gladiatorial of characters, those unique human beings who possess the bravery, skill and self-belief to drive wheel-to-wheel at over 200 mph. We used to praise these drivers for their outspoken and non-conformist behaviour; James Hunt, Ayrton Senna, and Nelson Piquet were all rule-breakers and the sport benefited greatly from the entertainment they provided.
Even the more senior figures such as team-owner Sir Frank Williams – who was paralysed in 1986 after a road accident near Circuit Paul Ricard – have characterised the risk-taking nature of Formula One, which underpins the basic allure of the sport.
Now I am not condoning reckless driving on the public roads especially in built-up city streets, the race track is definitely the only place for high-speed antics, but surely we can cut some slack for the best drivers in the world and acknowledge that we don’t want this select group of individuals to behave like choir boys?
About Steve Davies
Steve is a media, venture, and technology advisor and a former Partner at KPMG Consulting, PriceWaterhouse Coopers and Managing Partner at EIM - his clients range from global web and media companies to small start-ups. He formed Drivers Republic (DR) in 2007, the UK's first digital automotive magazine, with a team of EVO and Autocar writers before creating SkiddMark, and also writes as a guest contributor on Unruly Media’s Meme Machine blog and for Econsultancy’s digital marketing blog.
Subscribe to Steve's podcasts.Tell us what you think..
When you post a comment, it will also appear in your News Feed on Facebook (if you so choose), enabling you to take the conversation to where your friends already are. Thereafter you can continue discussing on Facebook and the conversations between SkiddMark and Facebook will be auto-magically synched, regardless of where the comment was made.
10 Comments
Steve Davies
March 27, 2010You’ve got to laugh at the newspapers who feel the need to define the terminology used in the police report;
Daily Mail:
Burnout
When the tyres are made to smoke by accelerating the car from a standing start with the brakes engaged
Fishtail
When the back end of the car is swung around during a handbrake turn at high speed
Daily Mirror:
HOONING
Wheel-spinning stunt that leaves a car’s wheels smoking
DOUGHNUT
Accelerating with the brakes on makes car go round in circles
BURNOUT
Tyres made to smoke by accelerating a car with the brakes on
FISHTAIL
Back end of car swung round during handbrake turn at high speed
Really….? :-E
Steve Davies
March 27, 2010You’ve got to laugh at the newspapers who feel the need to define the terminology used in the police report;
Daily Mail:
Burnout
When the tyres are made to smoke by accelerating the car from a standing start with the brakes engaged
Fishtail
When the back end of the car is swung around during a handbrake turn at high speed
Daily Mirror:
HOONING
Wheel-spinning stunt that leaves a car’s wheels smoking
DOUGHNUT
Accelerating with the brakes on makes car go round in circles
BURNOUT
Tyres made to smoke by accelerating a car with the brakes on
FISHTAIL
Back end of car swung round during handbrake turn at high speed
Really….? :-E
Steve Davies
March 27, 2010Have you noticed some of the newspaper reports?
You’ve got to laugh at the way they feel the need to define the terminology used in the police report;
Daily Mail:
BURNOUT
When the tyres are made to smoke by accelerating the car from a standing start with the brakes engaged
FISHTAIL
When the back end of the car is swung around during a handbrake turn at high speed
Daily Mirror:
HOONING
Wheel-spinning stunt that leaves a car’s wheels smoking
DOUGHNUT
Accelerating with the brakes on makes car go round in circles
BURNOUT
Tyres made to smoke by accelerating a car with the brakes on
FISHTAIL
Back end of car swung round during handbrake turn at high speed
Really….?
Steve Davies
March 27, 2010Have you noticed some of the newspaper reports?
You’ve got to laugh at the way they feel the need to define the terminology used in the police report;
Daily Mail:
BURNOUT
When the tyres are made to smoke by accelerating the car from a standing start with the brakes engaged
FISHTAIL
When the back end of the car is swung around during a handbrake turn at high speed
Daily Mirror:
HOONING
Wheel-spinning stunt that leaves a car’s wheels smoking
DOUGHNUT
Accelerating with the brakes on makes car go round in circles
BURNOUT
Tyres made to smoke by accelerating a car with the brakes on
FISHTAIL
Back end of car swung round during handbrake turn at high speed
Really….?
Rick Osborn
March 27, 2010I love The Mirror’s completely incorrect description of all four things, sensationalism first and facts later. I also imagine The Daily Express somehow linked this incident to that of Diana.
Great PR for Mercedes, bet Ron’s wishing he did this in a 12C!
Rick Osborn
March 27, 2010I love The Mirror’s completely incorrect description of all four things, sensationalism first and facts later. I also imagine The Daily Express somehow linked this incident to that of Diana.
Great PR for Mercedes, bet Ron’s wishing he did this in a 12C!
Rick Osborn
March 27, 2010…
Rick Osborn
March 27, 2010…
Steve Davies
March 28, 2010Ha ha, I’m not sure Lewis would have seen the flashing blue lights of the pursuing police car if he’d been in his MP4-25…
Steve Davies
March 28, 2010Ha ha, I’m not sure Lewis would have seen the flashing blue lights of the pursuing police car if he’d been in his MP4-25…