Torn loyalties as footie-fever kicks inAlthough the action occurred thousands of miles away, at Indianapolis on Friday it was nearly impossible to ignore the fact that Germany played - and won - against Argentina in the World Cup quarter-finals.
In the Toyota garage,
while engine revs started to soar in opening free practice,
Ralf Schumacher - who turns 31 today - celebrated with his feet up to watch the game on a giant TV screen.
"Free practice is important," he told Premiere TV "but it is also possible to follow the match as well..."
Over at Ferrari, Schumacher watched his countrymen's progress on overhead screens that usually show F1 action and timing data.
When he took to the track, it was conveniently after the half-time whistle in Berlin, and some couldn't help suggesting that his spin was motivated by simply having his mind elsewhere. Something Schumacher himself joked about afterwards.
"Some of the guys were more excited than they are at the start of a race," BMW's Mario Theissen admitted to sid.
Nick Heidfeld, Nico Rosberg and Mercedes' Norbert Haug also commented to the German news agency about their team's triumph.
It was however a relatively stress-free run for
Jarno Trulli, Tonio Liuzzi and
Giancarlo Fisichella off-track.
Meanwhile, back on track, Honda's test driver Anthony Davidson ended Friday with the best time and is completely free from those pesky driving duties to watch England take on Portugal tomorrow morning at Indy.
Source GMM
