The safety car managed two laps in round eleven of the Grand Prix before Rubens Barrichello of Ferrari raced on to win the race.
But that wasn't what held many in a tight grip of befuddlement. Instead, it was a lunatic who ran down the Hangar Straight of the Silverstone track. Dressed in loose green clothing and a kilt, Celtic was the cry of many on the origins of the man. Though the images have been beamed around the world and back again, none can clearly—or even barely—make out any of the words on the placard the crazed protestor attempted to wave in the faces of the oncoming drivers.
An earlier lap saw the safety car brought out while debris—in the form of Coulthard's headrest—was taken off the track. Coulthard also nearly took to the shins of the screw loose a few laps later.
Given that the man was clearly in no state of mind, what is most puzzling is the actual target audience of the protestor. With the cars speeding at speeds over a speedy 240km/h (150m/h) reading is a hard enough task, but to have the words jittering and in faint marker make that an impossibility.
Glare could have been a problem, and even though the cameras that caught the action had no trouble, it might have been a different story for the drivers themselves. If there was a message then the opportunity was certainly squandered and hopefully the man will be lynched by those who sent him in.
A lone wheel nut ran out in the pits during the fortieth lap. All the world's a stage and those in the back can't read the little flashcards.
Written on Monday, 21 July 2003