Final news briefs from Barcelona

May 11 (GMM) Timo Glock was stunned to discover that his grid girl for the Spanish grand prix was ... a man. Holding the placard bearing his race number in Barcelona was Thomas, a model from London. "I've never seen that before," the Toyota driver smiled. "At least a girl is holding the German flag," Glock added.

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Nick Heidfeld celebrated his 32nd birthday on the day of the Spanish grand prix by cutting a cake -- and the diminutive BMW-Sauber driver even ate half a slice.

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Mark Webber's Barcelona podium fell on the 50th anniversary of the first win of his Australian compatriot Sir Jack Brabham, a triple world champion and former constructor. "He did a huge amount for formula one," the Red Bull driver said.

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He might be on top of the world in the excessive world of formula one, but it seems the economic crisis applies even to Ross Brawn. The owner of the team that is currently leading both the drivers' and constructors' championships flew back to the UK from Barcelona on EasyJet, a discount airline.

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Brawn may have flown EasyJet, but F1's regulars from the Japanese broadcaster Fuji TV did not travel to Spain at all, for fear of contracting the deadly Swine flu.

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In Aosta, northern Italy, Nico Rosberg won a poker tournament in the week before the Spanish grand prix. Also taking part were Michael Schumacher, Giancarlo Fisichella, Vitantonio Liuzzi and Eddie Irvine.