F1 links: Coulthard on Monaco

Piers Morgan’s full Monte! The tax haven where the jewels are real and the orgasms are fake

“I spent an amusing morning with Formula 1 racing star David Coulthard, who fled to Monaco 15 years ago and now owns a hotel there called the Columbus. When I asked him what made him move there in the first place, he laughed and said simply: ‘Tax!’ He explained: ‘I remember getting my first big cheque from racing, for about £350,000, and just by being a Monaco resident I was able to keep all of it. That was very appealing! ‘I’ve probably saved tens of millions of pounds by living here, and my quality of life has been fantastic.’ Coulthard, who won the Monaco Grand Prix twice, quickly fell in love with the place, and has never left. One reason is the privacy it affords him. ‘It’s unique. Press photographers are banned from doing unofficial work, and you never, ever, see them here. Nobody bothers me here, and I value that.'”

French politicians quibble over French GP

“The motion that went through the Senate stated that the French GP was of national importance and fast action was required to guarantee a race in 2011. Opposition to the scheme came from the socialist party, notably Paris senator Bariza Khiari, who argued that jobs would be lost in Magny-Cours. There is also opposition to the project from environmentalists. These arguments have limited credibility because the new circuit would be built next to the vast Renault production plant at Flins, which has been in operation since 1952. The land on which the circuit would be built is currently agricultural land.”

Gascoyne and Force India going legal

“It is not clear whether the team will fight the case or not but it will rather embarrassing if it does as it will shed light on a team that was decidedly dysfunctional in the course of the 2008 season. That will not reflect well on Mallya, who is keen to maintain his image as a successful manager.”

Teddy Mayer remembered

“Mayer, born in 1935, was a feisty and combative individual. He was the first F1 team principal I ever rowed with, back in 1973 when he threatened Motoring News with legal action if we published a press release from their sponsor Yardley slamming the team for doing a deal with Philip Morris for Marlboro backing the following year.”

Tom Pryce Memorial

“Thanks to the generosity of Bernie Ecclestone and the Formula One teams, the Tom Pryce Memorial Trust is able to offer an auction of Formula One paddock passes with team hospitality for two at each of the nine European Grands Prix.”

IT at Work

“‘The job we do isn’t any different from the job the IT people at Ferrari, or McLaren, or Toyota do,’ says David. ‘The same tasks have to be done. We still have to design and build a car, and test it. It’s just that we do it with less people.'”