27/05/2011
NEWS STORY
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When we used a picture of Mat Coch to accompany a recent article nothing prepared us for his response.
Knowing that there's a little, how should we put it, 'sensitivity', we cruelly told him that having used a byline picture we had received "216 complaints" from readers" and that a "number of servers had crashed".
Our guy took it in the spirit in which it was meant, reassuring us that he would try and secure a "better picture".
Moments later however, in a follow up email, he attached this picture of a chirpy young kid and a man whose face looked worryingly familiar.
"Just found this one," wrote Mat. "I was 5 or 6, and had fallen over at school and smacked my face on a rock, hence the fat lip.
"From that day on Brundle was my favourite driver," he continues. "I think it was 1989, the year Senna turned his car into a tricycle on the back of Martin's Brabham. I've got this photo framed above my desk. On the other wall is a union flag signed by Martin..."
Our response now is the same as it was then.
1989? This looks more like it was taken in the 50s or even 40s. Indeed, were he wearing one of those sheepskin collared leather jackets as opposed to the Mr Byrite effort, Martin would look as though he'd just returned from a sortie over the Channel. And then there's the hair… EJ will be green with envy.
Anyway, if Mat says its 1989 then it's 1989... who are we to argue?