03/10/2006
NEWS STORY
Internet message board and forum users will be aware that there are times when things can get a little out of hand.
Certain drivers and teams not only have their fans, they also have detractors out there determined to blame them for all that is wrong with the world.
Though most would admit that Michael Schumacher's career has not been entirely whiter than white, there are some out there who appear to feel as if the German is ultimately responsible for AIDS, the assassination of John F Kennedy, the weather, the poor form of their football team, their hair loss and mid-life paunch, and the fact that they married young and the spark has gone from their marriage.
Michael, and a couple of other drivers, not to mention key F1 insiders, get the blame for everything, and there are times when the vitriol crosses all acceptable boundaries.
Take note therefore that Rubens Barrichello has won a legal action, in his native Brazil, against Orkut.com, a web community run by Google.
It seems the Honda driver has applied to have a number of 'communities' closed down, claiming that they are "offensive and pejorative".
Consequently, Judge Francisco Loureiro of the 4th Civil Court in Sao Paulo has ruled that Google has five days in which to close the sites or risk a fine of up to $500 (a day).
It might be an idea for Mario Theissen and David Richards to do a spot of Googling in order to find out what complimentary things have been said about them by fans of a certain Canadian singer/songwriter/driver.