Domingo switches FIFA for Formula 1

Domingo switches FIFA for Formula 1

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norman lebrecht

June 26, 2011

Watching the paddock scenes on television at the Valencia Grand Prix, I could not at first recognise the portly man in the lightweight suit who was presenting the winner’s trophy to Sebastian Vettel and conveying fraternal sympathies to Fernando Alonso, who came second.

Who’s that? Surely not the man who’s been tasked with cleaning up Fifa corruption? Is he now turning his white suit to the grease monkeys of F-1?

Fernando Alonso (ESP) Ferrari with Placido Domingo (ESP). Formula One World Championship, Rd 8, European Grand Prix, Race Day, Valencia, Spain, Sunday, 26 June 2011

(press photo © Sutton Images. http://www.formula1.com/wi/597×478/sutton/2011/d11eur1830.jpg. all rights reserved)

Sure enough, here’s our Placido booking a lift home in a fast car. Mind, he’s quicker than he looks. When the champagne started spraying, PD made the fastest pit exit of the day.

Comments

  • He did the honours at the 2009 Hungarian GP as well. If you watch the BBC’s pre race coverage, you’ll see Eddie Jordan and Jake Humphrey chatting to him on the grid, where he revealed that he’s been a fan of the sport since the mid 70s. Shame he picked such a dull GP to attend!

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