P124
CN
III IN THE PADDOCK
I
'm in two minds about this.
On the one hand, although
we are in an era dripping
with rather sick-making public
sentimentality, showing respect
for the dead is surely in no way
negative.
On the other, we are all
mortal. When a death doesn't
really affect us personally, even
remotely, then how does pay-
ing it any extraneous attention
dignify either us or the dear
departed?
These musings came to the
fore thanks to the hysteria in
some (mainly British) quarters
as we mark 20 years since
the untimely death of Princess
Diana, smashed along with her
boyfriend by a drunk driver in
a Paris underpass. An event
that many mark as the trigger
for this new age of overblown
public outpourings.
I remember it vividly, for
rather different reasons.
It occurred on the eve of the
Czech Republic GP, towards
the end of a generally memora-
ble season of GP racing, round
12 of 15.
I recall driving into the wood-
ed Brno circuit to park beside
the paddock, and hearing the
news (back in pre-Twitter days)
from a fellow arrival.
I lived in Britain, but was
neither royalist nor republican,
and while of course the loss
of any young mother in a road
accident is unnecessary and
THE SILENCE OF THE FANS
BY MICHAEL SCOTT
