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I'm assuming the V8 would be like the new, younger wife a middle aged guy decides to shack up with who then insists on having kids etc. Too many of my mates seemed to hit 50, leave their wife and kids for a mid 30's model, then wonder why 5 years later, they are back being unhappy pushing a couple of toddlers around the park and knackered as they are now late 50's.... My point, the V8 is the racey good looker that tempts middle aged blokes, promises a good drive, but then leaves them broke and broken at the side of the road.

I was being tongue in cheek at the fact that people were already discussing paint protection for Lotus' last ever ICE production car a minimum of 12 months before it was out! As for paint shops. I must be blessed, as I have two near me, one I have used personally and they did a great job, one that many people have used and highly recommend them. To say they are all cowboys with such a broad brush is a little harsh. You may have had a bad experience or two, but really, all of them are cowboys, I think not. So how does that work with the PPF that the factory puts on when the car leaves the factory?

I'd have just bought it and told whomever you need permission from to shut up. Not in to this "democracy" ideal when it comes to things I want. Car looks superb too. Would have been a nice additional on your drive. Unlike a wife, a car never has a headache. Never sulks. Doesn't care if you don't pay it any attention for a few days. Is always ready to play when you are. If only I had realised all of that 30 years ago.

Save your money. Just drive the fooking thing and don't worry about the odd stone chip etc. When it gets really bad, cos' you've had so much fun driving it rather than polishing it, just get a blow over the affected parts and she'll look like new again. There's a whole multi-billion pound industry that is taking a lot of money from car owners who obsess about the cars finish - it's paint for christs sake. When it looks tired just repaint it! Or do what many car owners seem to do these days, buy it - wash it - put in an immaculate garage - then show people pictures of it - as to drive it means you'll get it dirty. Some people blame their obsession on OCD. Me, I just say bollocks to that and stop wasting your money on a car and buy yourself some decent artwork to look at instead. It's a fooking car! Drive it. Clean it yes. But drive the fooking thing.......

I do believe there is room for a closer & more aligned relationship too, however for that to happen the rhetoric on both sides (not just against the EU) will need to be wound down and some sections of the EU need to stop trying to punish us for leaving (which there is plenty of evidence to suggest that this the motive) and accept we have voted out and just move on. A strong UK AND a strong EU is what will benefit all our respective citizens the most. Continuing to take huge chunks out of each other will only hurt ourselves and allow others to profit at our expense. Re jabs - the UK is slightly behind Spain (56.4% v 57.1%) on double jabs, slightly ahead on single jabs (69% v 68%) - https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations - data based on 1 August 2021

It was explained that during the formation lap the team were not allowed to communicate to the driver so Lewis would have gone out with the agreed strategy in his head and the information used to support it. When the 2nd placed car jumped into the pits the rest basically followed and we ended up with what we had. As it turns out it was one of the best races for ages so I for one am pleased with the decision on strategy! I don't think they could have changed the tyres under the red flag period for anything other than a similar set as usually you can only change stuff then as a "like for like". Does anyone know for certain? I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Vettel and Aston Martin.

To be fair Scotty, it probably took some time for membership of the common market to really make a difference too. To be fair, if membership of the EU had been all about trade, and the common market was really the raison d'etre for the EU to exist, then the UK would never have left - Brexit would never have happened. The UK has always been a trading group of nations. It's in our blood and it's in our DNA. Trade is good. Freedom of movement of people is good. However, increasingly for me and others, the issue has been about how what started out as a trading block, to benefit all, has morphed into something approaching the Federalisation of the members of the Union. In the last 20 years, the UK has seen industries decimated. It has seen whole communities destroyed. In part (not wholly), this was down to EU policies and the self serving actions of certain EU states. How did that benefit us? Did you ever ask yourself, at any time over the past 20 years, what benefit we were really getting from the EU as it moved from a collection of countries all working to together for the benefit of all, to an institution hell bent on the "control" and "domination" of the actions of all? To really see the benefits, or the damage of Brexit, then I am afraid we are going to have to see how things play out over the next 5, 10, 15 maybe even 20 years. Covid and the impact of the pandemic, and Brexit, both happening at the same time means that any short term effects may be skewed. So we need to see how it plays out. Of course, that means both sides need to wind-in the rhetoric. For what it is worth, whilst I can see similarities re Hilter's goals, I do not support the analogy nor the use of it. Again, they were exceptional times and the world has moved on. Thankfully.

Gutted for him and Aston Martin. Personally, I'd have ripped the car apart to get the tanks out and hand squeezed the filters and everything. I know the rules are the rules, but this is a real gut punch for Vettel and the team. Great drive. It was superb to see him and Ocon at the front and both driving hard, but fair etc. A glimpse of the old Vettel and I hope this reboots his confidence and see him up their again. Also gutted for Max and Perez. I think any suggestion Bottas did it on purpose really says more about the person suggesting it than anyone else. Unfortunate situation but that really is racing and shit happens. Without it, we would have been in for a great battle, however, it is was actually one of the best F1 races I've seen in ages. As for Horner @PaulCP, he is sounding more and more pathetic. Did he offer to pay the bill at any time when Max was regularly punting other drivers off the track? No. Of course not. Just pathetic comments to be honest. Him and Marko are becoming a bit of a circus act.

You weren't planning on adding any more to the family anyway so you didn't need them! Your loss was definitely my gain. Scarlet is a real gem of a drive, so good in fact I haven't even put down a deposit for an Emira! To this day, those specially lightened and stamped wheel are a thing of pure beauty. Not even a chore to clean them.

Oooooh, haven't seen those piccies before Paul. Thanks. Never have been able to work out why it took Silverstone so long to sell it, but then, the wait made it possible for me to buy it! You'd have spotted the VX still in the garage too I hope? She's in the process of a full interior retrim that should be finished in a few weeks.

Nice and clean!

@mg4lotusI think since your post the conspiracy theory re the "gamesmanship" has been disproven. However yet again we see F1 teams getting their strategies wrong. Red Bull put themselves behind the Mercs, they could have gone earlier, Max could have overtaken early in the setup lap etc.

Merc 1 and 2 on Mediums, Verstappen 3rd on soft. Could get quite tasty on Corner 1. If Max punts anyone off I cannot see the Stewards being too lenient given the recent events and words. I thought the "booing" of Hamilton was distasteful but all due respect for his response - thanking the crowd for their support and stating that the booing really eggs him on lol.... Class.

If you think "we" have a problem with xenophobia in the UK, then look at the institutional racism in the US. Hmmm, what about the EU and xenophobia? France banning the right of women to "choose" to work the niqab/burqa? In fact, i believe that Austria, France, Denmark, Belgium, Bulgaria, Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Spain all have either national, or local, bans on the wearing of the niqab/burqa which I believe includes in its term a "full face veil". I'm surprised the Pope has not excommunicated the lot of them as what would be a catholic wedding without the bride wearing a full face veil? It seems that it's not such a minority issue there and must be a very loud one! I can never see a situation where for instance, the UK would introduce such a xenophobic law. It just goes against who were are. So if you want to go and live and retire in a country in Europe that is so openly hostile to people from other countries and with other cultures then thankfully it seems that Brexit has done you a favour Brexit was and will be for some time as devisive as a civil war. Just wait to see what happens up here where I live if the SNP have another referendum and the vote for independence is proven. The shit storm that will follow will make Brexit look like a quickie divorce for convenience and will shape what will be nigh on 2 to 300 years of hatred, bitterness and bile into the future based on what the Union delivered (although for around 90% of the union's timeframe the vast majority of Scots were very happy with it too and the benefits and wealth it brought as they enthusiastically joined the rest of Britain building an empire then plundering it).

This is why I was very careful with my words Doug so as to NOT tar all migrants with the same brush - what I said was "NOT ALL migrants want to come here and integrate into our society" and I think rather brutally I pointed out the behaviours of our citizens and what I thought about them. So I do think I was being balanced. You are fortunate you worked in the "right" industry. Through being members of the EU we have seen many industries decimated (in part by protectionism policies from the like of France, Germany and Spain that have preserved their industries in preference to ours - you could argue the issue was as usual, the UK adopted and played by the rules, those other governments as usual did largely what they wanted and stuck two fingers up at the rules, or at least at the spirit of them). As yourself how it was that the Spanish, French and German (Iberdrola, Eon, RWE, EDF) were able to buy and takeover UK energy companies when companies like our own Centrica were "barred" from buying themselves in Spain, France and Germany? After purchase, Iberdrola was sending "home" to spend over €1bn Euro's a year in "profits" from ScottishPower, to fuel jobs, investments and other stuff in Bilbao and the surrounding area. The EU might have worked for some, but it certainly never was a level playing especially (and I guess we should callout the UK Government here for at best being niaive) for those countries who actually adopted the rules. Let's take the fiasco over Brexit and VAT. What many people failed to realise was the whole shitstorm was caused by the UK complying with the EU's directives ON TIME, whilst her other member states decided to delay implementation by up to 12 months. The shit storm over the VAT on cross border payments, the crap about the huge amount of paperwork all being BECAUSE of BREXIT was just not true. And as for the Dutch and other companies who stopped sending stuff here, well, when they implement the rules themselves they'll realise it wasn't actually anything to do with Brexit as they will see this required for all countries NOT in the EU that they trade with. It was just convenient for all that it was labelled as a "Brexit" issue. "Contracts for mates" - come on now Doug you're better than that, I know you are. It's been going in governments of all countries, and all political persuasions and colours since, well, since we had Governments! Before that, it was through Patronage from rulers whether Kings, Queens, Dictators or Tyrants. Do you honestly think this Government is any worse, or any better, than any other? Get real bud. I do find it sad when people roll out this BS as a way to "attack" or make a point against their opponents as you know your side is just as bad. Why are we facing a lost decade financially? Last time I looked the indicators from the Government, BoE, IMF and other "independent" bodies were showing that the UK was on a better future growth strategy than the EU. So in your opinion, it is all doom and gloom (as it always is from everyone who did not want Brexit). My observation, for what it is worth, is that every month this year has seen unrest in one of the EU 27 member states. There are growing calls referendums in Poland, Hungary, France and the Netherlands, hinting that they too would like to vote. And finally, if the EU really was a community that respected all its members, and wanted to help all members when in needs, how come they left Italy to die 15 months ago at the height of its Covid issues? Germany, Austria, France, all closed their trade borders for specific medical aid (PPE, Ventilators etc) to Italy. On the other hand, the UK filled planes and sent stuff! What about Greece and Ireland in their hours of financial need? They were crucified by the EU for the financial woes, meanwhile, France who was in breach of her financial covenants was just ignored and allowed to get on with it with no sanctions or nothing. The EU in my mind is doomed. So you may think we have a lost decade financially, I happen to think the EU is on the brink and without drastic (or draconian) action in the next 2 years the whole experiment will implode. At that point, I'd be very glad to be out of it. Anyone who was born in the US is it not? I.e. not just a citizen of the US, but a citizen by birth.