It almost certainly is not the most important story of the final race weekend of the 2010 Formula 1 season, but news that Fernando Alonso has waxed his legs — i.e. got rid of all his leg hair — simply cannot go un-noted.
So, consider it noted:
Formula One drivers are well-versed in the use of extreme measures in the pursuit of speed but Fernando Alonso, the 2010 championship leader, has taken things a stride further by having his legs waxed.
No one in the paddock here seemed quite sure of Alonso’s reasons for shaving his legs ahead of Sunday’s final race of the season. Certainly it will not make him any more streamlined inside his Ferrari, although it could make him cooler under his fireproof overalls.
However he is a keen cyclist and the smart money is on him following the long-standing trend for competitors on two wheels.
Lewis Hamilton does have a few interesting things to say about it. But before dropping his words on you, let’s remember that this is the Guardian — so we’ve got the British press here — and I will suggest that the way the comments come across may not have been how he said them:
Lewis Hamilton, the 2008 champion, said tonight: “I’m surprised how he was able to take the pain of having his legs waxed. We noticed as we were walking in. Mark [Webber] pointed it out and was asking: ‘How far has it gone up?’ I was like: ‘Wow, they are shiny.’
“So I’m impressed he can do that. That shows his mental state. But I think he has shown over the years how solid he is mentally. He just doesn’t care. You ask him questions about Germany and he just doesn’t care.”
By “Germany”, Hamilton was referring to the Hockenheim grand prix in July, when Ferrari issued coded orders to Alonso’s team-mate, Felipe Massa, to give way to their No1 driver.
His first few sentences are pretty funny. And I think we need to get Grace on the case about how far up it goes. His team mate, after all, is Brazilian.
But of course it is the mention of Germany that can get everyone riled up. And as I read the Guardian, I get the impression the paper is trying to dredge that incident up (it later re-quotes Jenson Button on how an Alonso title might be seen as tainted by some). No surprise there.
But that doesn’t seem to me to be ow Lewis is meaning it. I think he’s showing that’s he’s impressed by Alonso’s mental toughness, in particular when constantly faced with questions and comments about Germany.
But that’s just my take. Maybe the Lewis-Fernando rift continues.
Back to the real story, though: Alonso waxed his legs. Huge news, huh?
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