By Ian Lockwood
June 23 2009
The Grand Prix Party that takes place immediately after the British Grand Prix is a fantastic event that lets the drivers get closer to the fans and shed all that corporate speech that they have been spouting all weekend.
It is now a tradition that after the chequered flag falls on the final race at the British Grand Prix, the fans are let in to the centre of the circuit where a massive stage has been set up for the British Grand Prix Party.
Hosted by Tony Jardine, the party is a mixture of music and driver / celebrity appearances. This years music was supplied by regulars Eddie and the Robbers (featuring Eddie Jordan on drums) and Rolling Stones tribute band, The Counterfeit Stones.
Whilst the music creates a good atmosphere, the undoubted draw of the event are the driver and celebrity appearances. Once again, Tony Jardine did a marvellous job of whipping up the crowds support with rallying cries for the British Grand Prix to remain at Silverstone, pantomime jeers at the mention of Michael Schumacher, and altogether more heartfelt decrying of Max and Bernie!
The drivers present all seem to treat the event as a chance to genuinely interact with the fans and speak their minds much more freely than when they have a TV camera and microphone shoved in their faces post race.
This year some of the highlights included Eddie Jordan very vocally telling Max & FOTA to stop messing with a sport that belongs to the fans, not them. Lewis Hamilton cheerfully admitting that his 2009 McLaren is a dog of a car, Nelson Piquet letting on that Flavio is a bit of a tough boss to please, and Kazuki Nakajima revealing that the Toyota owned Fuji circuit is not a patch on Suzuka.
The party bosted an impressive roll call of drivers past and present including Johnny Herbert, Nelson Piquet Jr, Sir Stirling Moss, Sir Jackie Stewart, Derek Warwick, Kazuki Nakajima, Nico Rosberg, Damon Hill, Lewis Hamilton (and Pussycat Doll girlfriend), Ross Brawn, Rubens Barichello, Jenson Button, David Coulthard, Martin Brundle, Jake Humphrey, Eddie Jordan, and of course Christian Horner, Adrian Newey, Mark Webber and Sebstian Vettel.
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