01/08/2013
NEWS STORY
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As the dearth of real news during the summer hiatus leads to ever sillier stories, how about something utterly ludicrous but ultimately based on fact.
As the world of F1 heads off on vacation, it is entirely possible that a few inhabitants of Planet Paddock will be heading off to the Balearic Islands, the archipelago in the western Mediterranean which includes Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza, Formentera and Mallorca.
Though some of the islands have developed a reputation for the wild antics and excess of the rave generation, most of them remain popular with 'traditional' holidaymakers, attracted by the weather, food and culture.
Though Spain, having hosted its own Grand Prix at Barcelona and the European version on the Valencia Street Circuit has had to drop the latter event due to lack of interest and the ongoing financial crisis, it is claimed that Mallorca, biggest of the Balearic Islands, could one day play host to a round of the world championship.
While in no way attempting to detract from Bernie Ecclestone's "Germanic problems" or attempting to emulate the "copy-and-paste monkeys" responsible for some of the sillier stories of recent days, we couldn't help ourselves in terms of a story which appeared in the Guardian recently.
According to the report, police in Mallorca arrested 25 members of the Hells Angels on suspicion of; "drug trafficking, trafficking in humans, extortion and running prostitution rings".
Furthermore, according to the newspaper, "it is alleged the gang planned to launder money from its criminal activities in Germany and Turkey by building a Formula One circuit on the Spanish island".
The gang is said to have laundered its money by buying property in the names of people who were coerced into signing the deeds in order to disguise the true ownership.
"One such property," according to the report, "was an estate valued at 2.5m euros, which police say in reality belongs to the leader of the Angels in Europe and an accomplice. It was here that the gang allegedly planned to construct the F1 circuit".
Sadly, the Guardian doesn't tell us what impact the arrests will have on the plans for the circuit but a night race in Mallorca has to be an exciting prospect, especially with the Hells Angels doing the organising.
The gang is said to have originally moved to Mallorca in 2009 to escape police pressure in Germany.
Over to you Bernie!