23/10/2006
NEWS STORY
Memories of the ill-fated Premier F1 series, which aimed to bring soccer-style passion to motorsport, but never left the dug-out, were revived today, when Real Madrid president, Ramon Calderon, revealed that the legendary Spanish soccer club will sponsor a car at next year's Spanish Grand Prix, scheduled to take place at Barcelona on May 13.
"It's a great project," he told the Spanish media today. "The design work has been done with cars painted white and carrying the club's crest. The agreement is with a team with a good chance of winning and will be for one or two Grands Prix, but at Montmelo for sure. It will be especially good fun to see a car racing in Barcelona with a big Real logo on it."
Although Calderon reveal which team's car will wear his club's livery, it's well known that McLaren-bound Fernando Alonso is a fan of the Spanish giants. Indeed, at yesterday's Primera Liga match between Real and Barcelona, fans were allowed in early in order to watch the Brazil Grand Prix on giant TV screens.
"We had the idea of getting Fernando to dedicate his victory from Brazil to the Madrid fans but it wasn't to be," said Calderon. "Now we are trying to get him to come and do the honorary kick-off at a match instead."
While F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone is a Chelsea fan (surprise, surprise), it is not known if Ron Dennis likes football, his local club being WokingFC, which plays in the Nationwide Conference League. It's hardly glamorous, but Ron is a local boy and is proud of his Woking roots.