The Economist, a weekly news and international affairs publication which began in 1843, is widely regarded as 'top of the range' when it comes to journalism, indeed, it is regarded as the journo's journal.

Therefore it comes as something of a surprise to see the venerable publication, in its write up of yesterday's goings on in Paris, consistently refer to Sir Max Mosley. Indeed, even a quote from FOTA vice-chairman and Toyota boss, John Howett, is amended so that it reads "Sir Max".

The fact of the matter is that due to the notoriety of his family name, not to mention last year's dungeon dalliance, Max Mosley has as much chance of being Knighted as Osama Bin Laden being nominated for the Nobel Prize for Peace.

We once heard that Bernie Ecclestone's £1m bung to the Labour Party, just days after Tony Blair was elected in 1997, was more to do with seats in the House of Lords for himself and Max than tobacco, indeed, cash for honours was to become de rigueur for Nuliebour, but a Knighthood, surely not.

One shudders to believe that Bernie or even FOTA have arranged a Knighthood for Max as part of his retirement package, but with Peter Mandelson in charge and the government needing every last penny it can lays its hands on, who knows. After all, Mosley has some close links to the Labour Party, not least Alan Donnelly.