26/07/2004
NEWS STORY
There was absolutely no disguising the thousands of empty seats in the grandstands at yesterday's German Grand Prix.
In a rare move, even Bernie Ecclestone drew attention to the fact, in the moments leading up to the race.
Swathes of empty plastic seats during the Friday and Saturday sessions are one thing, but this was the German Grand Prix.
"There's not enough," people said the F1 supremo, "we need more people."
Asked what the solution was, Ecclestone didn't hold back. "It's Michael," he said.
And the solution?
"We need to pension him off," said Ecclestone, "we must pension him off at the end of the year."