Mysterious Package Detonated In Monaco Paddock

A mysterious package which had been left at the entrance to the Monte-Carlo street circuits media centre has been detonated in a controlled explosion, after the local police initially cordoned off the area at around 9:45pm local time. Onlookers including journalists and other members of the media were pushed back 50 yards from the scene, as a bomb disposal expert examined a white plastic box.

After examining the package, the expert declared the item suspect and began wiring it up in preparation for a controlled detonation. Moments before the detonation occurred, the onlookers were asked to move back a further 20 yards. The package was finally detonated with a considerable amount of noise, and left shards of white plastic at the scene.

This is the second consecutive time a bomb disposal expert has been called upon at the Monaco Grand Prix, after last year a discarded bag was examined prior to Sunday’s race. However, unlike this year, the bag was eventually considered safe and was not detonated.

James Allen Becomes BBC Radio 5 Live Commentator

Ex-ITV commentator James Allen has been announced as the new BBC Radio 5 Live lead commentator, replacing David Croft who last year was announced as the commentator for the new dedicated F1 channel Sky Sports F1 HD alongside former BBC colleagues Martin Brundle and Anthony Davidson.

James Allen took over from Murray Walker as ITV commentator in 2002, alongside Martin Brundle and was immediately under the spotlight by critics, some believing he was trying to sound too much like Murray Walker and that his enthusiasm sometimes got the better of him, especially when Jenson Button won his first ever Grand Prix at the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix.

However, regardless of what the critics have said about him, no-one can deny that James Allen’s enthusiasm for Formula 1 is unmatched by any of todays journalists and commentators. In 2009 he became the Formula One Management World Feed Interviewer when he was asked to do so for the 2009 British Grand Prix in place of Peter Windsor, and he asked questions for the post-qualifying and post-race TV interviews. 

James Allen will continue writing for his website and will also continue his contributions to Australia’s Ten Sport F1 coverage. With the BBC loosing the majority of its major talent to Sky Sports for 2012, the BBC couldn’t have picked a more enthusiastic commentator to head their BBC Radio 5 Live coverage.