Ann Bradshaw, a journalist and press officer with three decades of experience in motor racing, and one of the most respected workers in the F1 paddock, follows the 2002 season in her post-race column, offering F1 fans an insight into the life of those who spend the GP weekend inside the paddock

I don't want to upset anyone in this column, but I have to admit that the German motorsport fans who flock to the race at Hockenheim are usually some of the worst dressed I have encountered in my years of travelling to races. Granted, this race can often be one of the hottest of the year, but still the sight of fat German stomachs covered by singlets tucked into skimpy shorts is not one that brings to mind sartorial elegance. I also have to admit that baseball hats are not the smartest headgear, and when you add a bright red cap to the aforementioned clothing, it leaves a lot to be desired.

However, when I tell you that Michael Schumacher has paid for his Swiss home solely on the profits from the sales of red caps bearing his name and that of his personal sponsor - formerly Dekra and now Deutsche Vermogensberatung - I am sure you will think that my dislike of this as a way of keeping the sun off German heads in the height of summer is more to do with jealousy than any affront to my sensibilities about dress code.

While still on the subject of hats, Michael was already wearing a new one in Germany celebrating his fifth world championship with five stars on it, so with this already on the market no doubt even more money will be going in the Schumacher bank account.

It may surprise those of you who have never been to central Europe in the height of our summer to read that this race can be hotter than places such as Brazil and Australia. In fact, the only place I have found more uncomfortable for a race is Malaysia, and that is mainly due to the high humidity. The Hockenheim track is a bit like a cauldron, with the surrounding forests and its geographical position in the middle of the European land mass meaning temperatures can rise into the hundreds with no welcoming breeze to alleviate the suffering of all concerned. Proof of just how uncomfortable this can be came in the early nineties when at one race the heat was so intense that the air conditioning in all the motorhomes broke down.

Mind you, the year the heat was really on WilliamsF1 was in 1995 when Damon Hill and Michael were fighting for the championship and the duel got so heated that the British driver was receiving death threats. These were taken so seriously that all sorts of plans were put into place to keep him safe. The drivers for this race usually stay only a few kilometres away from the track at the Holiday Inn at Waldorf.

As usual Damon was there, but the police insisted he did not stay in the room he was down for on the hotel register. Instead a mate of his was shuffled into that room, not exactly kicking and screaming but not too happy about the thought of a member of the SS coming to get him in the dead of the night. It was also decided that the best way to get Damon in and out of the track was through a forest track on a motorbike wearing a plain helmet. He did this run each day and unknown to the devoted German fans the other person taking advantage of this back route with a police escort was non other than Schumi himself.

Another person who the police said should take extra precautions was Frank Williams. He had received some barracking as he went in and out on the practice and qualifying days so it was decided the safest form of transport on race day was by helicopter. Frank and his assistant, Jamie McCallum, were duly picked up from the hotel and taken for the short trip to the circuit. They were deposited in a field and although Jamie didn't know exactly where he was knew he would soon find his bearings.

To say it came as a shock when he did register his location would not be difficult to imagine when I tell you he was on the edge of a camp site full of Schumi fans, which was located outside the circuit. It was a very red faced Jamie who eventually arrived pushing Frank into the motorhome. However, it was from the exhaustion of pushing the wheelchair over rough ground and not from fear, as both he and Frank reported only good humour from the thousands of fans they encountered and in fact many of them were even wishing him the best of luck for the race. Sadly for Damon this did no good as while in the lead at the start of the race he spun off and left Michael to keep thousands of German fans very happy with his first Grand Prix win at this circuit.

*   *   *

The Hockenheim circuit this year in many people's minds was a shadow of its former self, and this is certainly true when talking about length. It has been chopped from 4.241 miles (it was the second longest on the calendar with Spa just fractionally longer at 4.330 miles) to 2.711 miles, making it on a par for length with the likes of Magny-Cours, the A1 Ring and Interlagos. This increased the number of laps from 45 to 67, but with the loss of the long straight it has given some breathing space to the engine manufacturers. This has always been the toughest test of engine if not man, as the engine was at its highest revs for longer here than at any other circuit, and for the likes of BMW back at their factory it was always the reference circuit for the engine on the test bench.

For the driver it was never the most technically challenging circuit and in the past I have known drivers to be bored while pounding down that long straight. It was also a difficult place for spectators. If you were sitting in the stadium area by the pits it was great, but go out anywhere on the rest of the track and viewing was very difficult. This new layout has added thousands of extra seats and as we said above has increased the number of laps so the spectators will see the cars an extra twenty times.

Although the circuit seems to have produced overtaking opportunities, as witness in the race between Juan Pablo Montoya and Kimi Raikkonen, you are never going to please everyone and some of the comments from drivers after their first experience of the track showed a variety of opinions: 'it has lost its personality' from Pedro de la Rosa, 'it is not very exciting' from Jarno Trulli, 'it's safer and better for the spectators' Eddie Irvine and 'it is fun' from Ralf Schumacher and Nick Heidfeld. It was certainly very exciting during practice and qualifying and I don't think there was a single driver who did not have at least one spin.

One of the most public was that of Juan Pablo on his first qualifying run. He got well out of shape and lost time on the grass and gravel. The most amusing sequel to this was when he was going out for his second run. "What do you reckon?" he asked WilliamsF1 Technical Director, Patrick Head. "I am going to be helpful and tell you it is quicker if you stay on the dark bits", came back the speedy reply. You could tell by the twinkle in his eye Juan Pablo thought this funny, but also took it on board and did just that, even though he failed to make Germany his sixth consecutive pole position.

*   *   *

My happiest days in Hockenheim were when I used to stay in Heidelberg at a lovely hotel on the banks of the Neckar river called the Prinz. This was not the most luxurious hotel, although very comfortable, but it did have the most amazing spa pool in its basement that was the perfect place to disappear to at the end of a tiring day. I used to rush back to the hotel, put on my swimming costume and head down each evening.I was always surprised that I had this pool to myself as it could easily accommodate another 19 of my best friends.

However, my secret destination did eventually get rumbled as one evening as I was laying back in the warm bubbling water, my worst nightmares were realised as suddenly I was joined by at least 19 of my best mates as the time keepers from Tag Heuer had found out about it and decided to join me!

Hockenheim is not usually the place for VIP guests but in 2000 we had one of the funniest men I have met turn up at Arrows who had found himself in the area, had been to Monaco with the team and decided to pop in. In Monaco he was expected so he had passes to the paddock and all other areas, such as hospitality units and boats. Here we didn't know he was coming so nothing had been arranged and it is impossible to get into the paddock without a pass, no matter who you are or how famous you may be.

Therefore, you can imagine my surprise when suddenly this loud, jovial voice was trying to get the attention of those of us in the motorhome and there grinning at us from the wrong side of the fence was former world heavyweight champion boxer, Frank Bruno. There were none of the histrionics about 'do you know who I am?', just a lovely grinning man asking if he would be welcome to join us. He certainly was, so we quickly found a pass for him, and from then on he entertained us for the rest of the day. He insisted on sitting in the sun 'to improve my sun tan', and then at the end of the day when we dropped him back at his Heidelberg hotel on our way to the airport it was one long laugh as he entertained us and also shouted greetings to the unsuspecting Germans trying to get home.

*   *   *

Apart from going to Hockenheim for races I have also been there for testing and one visit with a group of Japanese journalists to interview Nigel Mansell will always stick in my mind. The interview went well and, despite some slightly off the wall questions about his private life, Nigel was happy to give them the answers they needed. Once this was over, one journalist turned to me and said he now needed the photo to go with it. I explained that his photographer could go anywhere out on the circuit and also Nigel would agree to pose for a photo with his overalls on.

The journalist nodded but explained to me we needed to go back to the hotel for the bath tub photo. I knew this was a lifestyle magazine but had no idea it was that sort of lifestyle. I tried to be diplomatic with the poor fellow and said there was no way they could take shots of Nigel in such a private location.

At this point he looked at me with pity as if to say 'hasn't this woman got any idea what I am on about'. 'No, no', he shouted 'we want shot of Nigel in bath tub as this is where all children dream of being a driver!' He knew Nigel would have been one of these dreamers and was sure he would agree to put his overalls on for the shot. I was then left with the task of explaining this to Nigel and seeking his permission. It will come as not surprise to most people to read that they had to do with a photo of him in the paddock.

*   *   *

I had no such strange requests last weekend when I went to one of the best circuits in the world, Spa-Francorchamps, for the latest round of the European Touring Car Championship. As the BMW drivers were not on pole for this race we escaped the wrath of the Alfa Romeo team that was heaped on our heads in Germany three weeks earlier. Their press release came out stating the facts this time, without mutterings about changing regulations. I tried to encourage the lovely Charly Lamm from Schnitzer Motorsport - they run BMW Team Germany in the Championship - to say something controversial for my press release, but he is too much of a gentleman to play Alfa's Ms Sipz at her own game.

However, I did eventually hear Jorg Muller say after qualifying, "I am happy that there are no more tears in the eyes of my Alfa Romeo friends!" Mind you things were very different after the races as we won one and they won one - the score for the season is now Alfa Romeo 10, BMW 4. Alfa driver Nicola Larini sat in the press conference with a look on his face that would turn milk sour, complaining about the regulations favouring us and how they had to be changed, and this was after he had won one of the races!

Luckily the atmosphere for the majority of the weekend was not all doom and gloom as most drivers were just happy to be driving on this circuit. This is always known as a drivers' circuit and it was great to hear the excitement in their voices after qualifying, as you knew you were talking to people who had just enjoyed what they had done. The whole weekend had a great atmosphere and with it being the home race for BMW Team Belgium they worked hard on making it a great weekend for all the BMW national teams.

They have a very hard working PR man called Christophe Weerts who seemed to be able to be everywhere at the same time, and my only regret of the weekend was they did not get a win for their team. They have Sweden's Fredrik Ekblom driving for them, and I would have loved to see him on the top spot of the podium. Much to his amusement I call him my David Beckham - he is tall, blonde, handsome, a devoted family man, a great driver and on top of all that, a really nice person. If all racing drivers were like him there would be no need for PR people. Luckily for us there are the odd grumpy ones, as we saw in Spa, and so we PR people will never be out of work!

About the author:
Ann Bradshaw - Annie - began her motor racing career as a teenager, helping out her brother in local rally races in England, where she grew up. In the 1970s she organised motor racing events in England, and was later the press officer for the RAC MSA - the motorsport governing body in Britain. In mid 1980s, she became press officer to team Lotus, where she worked with Ayrton Senna. Shortly after, she moved to the Williams team and was working there for several years, when once again she found herself working with Senna. She worked with Damon Hill after the Brazilian's death, and moved with the British Champion to Arrows. She also worked with the Panoz team in the United States, before becoming a freelance press officer, now working with Compaq and BAR among others. Annie joined Atlas F1 as a regular columnist in April 2002.