h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

A few days ago, I read a newspaper article in which David Coulthard complained at his lack of recognition by the British public, saying that he'd never won their hearts in the way that Nigel Mansell or Damon Hill did.

Well, David there are two reasons for that. First of all, you haven't won anything yet. Okay, you've won a few Grands Prix, but then so has Johnny Herbert - and you've been driving for the top teams your entire career, while he has made the best of Jordans, Saubers or whatever came to hand. You haven't been World Champion, and you haven't looked like being - both Mansell and Hill won the most public sympathy when they narrowly missed out due to bad luck (Mansell's puncture) or downright cheating (that Schumacher incident), which then built to adulation when they overcame those odds and fought back to take the title later on. Maybe your plane crash will do the same for you.

The second reason is that they used a simple technique to endear themselves to the British public - they drove under the British flag, the flag of the whole country. You choose to drive under the cross of St. Andrew. I don't have a problem with you being Scottish and proud of it, but don't expect that to make Englishmen or Welshmen love you. Can you imagine how Scottish racing fans would have felt had Mansell or Hill adorned their cars with the flag of St. George? I can't see them liking it.

Eddie Irvine has some strange ideas, but as an Ulsterman he understands symbols, and he is careful to include fans from North and South of the border by using both the Trecolour and the Union Flag interchangeably. You could learn a lesson from him there.