By Ian lockwood
November 7 2006

David Coulthard & Eddie Irvine are currently starring in Sky One's latest celebrity reality series "The Race" - with DC Coaching a team of girls & Eddie the boys to see who can be the fastest on - and off track. It didn't take them long to revert to their old verbal sparring tactics. Fighting Talk from the Team Gaffers

Any doubts that the Formula 1 professionals would not be taking The Race seriously were immediately dispelled when David Coulthard and Eddie Irvine met at today’s photo call at Silverstone. For the team captains reputations are at stake. As Boys’ team gaffer Eddie put it: “If the Girls win, I’ll never be able to show my face at a Formula 1 event again”. In typically outspoken style he went on to say: “I think we’ll kill the girls. Bernie Ecclestone wasn’t much of a driver and I don’t think his daughter (Tamara) will be. Fortunately David’s a good loser – and he’ll have to be this week because he’s got his work cut out”

Eddie identified Nigel Benn as his ace in the pack, reckoning that a former boxer would have the aggression, mental strength and discipline required to win The Race. David picked Melissa Joan Hart as his hot tip, citing her extensive motor racing experience as a potential key factor. The F1 legends will attempt in the week they have with their teams to pass on as much of their racing knowledge as possible. DC talked up his team’s chance by saying “Racing is as much about brains as brawn, and I think the girls will have the edge. I’ll be trying to teach them how to see the racing line and consistently hit it”.

The team captains will have the ultimate say on who competes in The Race, so the teams will be trying to impress from Day One of racing tomorrow. The celebrities also met up for the first time today when they checked into the cramped sleeper buses parked in the Silverstone paddock, that will be their homes for the week. AC/DC’s multi-millionaire lead singer Brian, more used to staying in the world’s finest hotels quipped that “they’ve got bigger beds in Belmarsh (Prison)”. Meanwhile Les Ferdinand reckoned that the Boys would win because they’re more in to cars.

Jenny Frost disagreed, saying she was confident that the Girls would thrash the opposition whilst Niomi (Ms Dynamite) and Melissa both shed tears for the babies they’ve left at home whilst competing in The Race. Melissa revealed that she was looking forward to getting to know the Girls, and getting behind the wheel of a racing car again having not driven on a track since giving birth to her daughter 10 months ago.

At this stage it’s anybody’s guess who’ll win, but today one thing was obvious - both teams are fully revved up and raring to go!