12/04/2011
NEWS STORY
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"McLaren should put up or shut up in Red Bull wing row," wrote David Coulthard in the Daily Telegraph on Friday. But whose hat was he wearing at the time, that of the BBC or perhaps Red Bull?
"It is just incredible that the Red Bull front wing debate has cropped up again," he continued. "I am sick to the back teeth of hearing the same story regurgitated time and again. To be absolutely clear, a car has to pass scrutineering to be allowed to race. Once it has done so, it is the right of any team, if they feel a car is running outside of the regulations, to lodge a protest. To do that would not even amount to a team's soft drinks budget for a weekend. Small beer.
"So anyone who complains repeatedly about something but does not lodge a protest is either scaremongering, trying to devalue someone else's achievements or has serious doubts about the solidity of their argument," he added. "Red Bull's front wing has repeatedly passed every test put in front of it, so their rivals either need to copy it - if they can - or challenge it if they think it is illegal. Put up or shut up.
"Incidentally, this is not a Red Bull v McLaren thing," he assured us, "it would be the same with any team. It is just boring."
Ignoring his "if they can" comment, which appears just a little too defensive, the fact is that everyone has been talking about 'the wing'. Indeed, the BBC's red button commentary on both Friday and Saturday saw numerous people, including lead commentator David Croft, talk of the legality of the wing in clear 'nudge nudge, wink wink' terms.
Last September, in the face of continued accusations of bias, Helen Boaden, director of BBC News, part of the world's biggest broadcast news operation, famously claimed last that; "impartiality is in our DNA - it's part of the BBC's genetic make-up".
Therefore, we repeat, what hat was David Coulthard wearing when he wrote that he was "sick to the back teeth" of the wing issue?
In mid January, just five days after the BBC confirmed that the Scot would be joining Martin Brundle in the commentary box this season, it was announced that he would also continue his role as 'consultant' with Red Bull, a deal said to be worth £4m a year.
In the wake of the pre-season tests, the BBC team, Brundle, Coulthard and Eddie Jordan, laid into McLaren with a vengeance predicting that the Woking team faced a hammering due, in part, to its decision to launch its car later than its rivals, therefore completing less mileage. While a McLaren source at the time admitted to Pitpass that there were a "few reliability issues" and that "Jenson's pace was genuine" - the previous day the Englishman was second quickest to Mark Webber at Barcelona - he was adamant that the car was competitive and that the BBC trio were way off the mark. Fast forward to Melbourne and Sepang and it would appear our source was right.
When Coulthard was handed the BBC commentary role, and told by the corporation that he could maintain his lucrative links to Red Bull, concerns were raised.
"The BBC should be considering the implications of this appointment." Labour culture spokeswoman Pauline McNeill told the Daily Record. "David Coulthard is a great catch for the BBC but they have to make sure the rules are applied equally to all staff. The rules have to be the same for everyone - there cannot be exceptions for individuals if impartiality is to be maintained."
"Any commercial interests that people like Mr Coulthard have should be totally transparent," added Ted Brocklebank, culture spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives. "These interests should be made public at the very least so that we know what his connections are when he is effectively working in the public sector at the BBC."
"This is a real test of transparency and a question of being vigilant," said Lib Dem spokesman for Scotland, Argyll and Bute MP Alan Reid. "If everything is kept above board and declared, there shouldn't be a problem. If he says anything unduly supportive of Red Bull or less than impartial, it will be noticed and acted on."
For me, the whole thrust of the Telegraph article betrays Coulthard's bias. Surely, he can only be "sick and tired" of the issue if he identifies as a Red Bull man; and if he identifies as a Red Bull man, this surely conflicts with his role a supposedly impartial commentator.
Speaking on Saturday, ahead of qualifying, Coulthard revealed that he'd been in Malaysia for almost a week. What he didn't reveal was that the reason for his early arrival was so that he could take part in a Red Bull Speed Street Show in Kuala Lumpur. This came two weeks after the Scot competed in the Red Bull Race Off (pictured) in Melbourne, shortly before qualifying for the Grand Prix.
Thus far, Coulthard and Brundle have made a good team in the commentary box. However, other than his inflammatory article in the Telegraph, there are already comments on message boards and fora questioning his pro-Red Bull stance.
We're not saying that Coulthard has bias in his jeans - but what's the betting they're provided by (Red Bull sponsor) Pepe.