Paddock gossip from Suzuka - Part I

In the absence of a main sponsor for this year's Japanese GP, the starting line-up at Suzuka presented a rather strange sight - with no grid girls and no flags next to the cars, it looked more like a provincial race from one of the junior series. Former test driver Andre Lotterer offered to help out next time: "I could invite all my ex-girlfriends along. That way, we should be able to muster a squad of 24."

F1 drivers are pursued and besieged wherever they go, which at the moment means Japan. But it doesn't have to be like that. Fernando Alonso's arrival at Osaka airport barely registered with the other travellers. He was seen queuing up like anyone else, arm in arm with his wife and a Ferrari rucksack on his back, and no-one even asked him for his autograph.