Naked reporter as good as his word
Sun Jul 10, 7:34 AM ET



SILVERSTONE (Reuters) - Two years after a kilted Irish priest ran out on to the track and caused havoc at the British Grand Prix, a naked Scot jogged out in front of 100,000 Formula One fans on Sunday.

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This time, however, it was all about charity -- and McLaren's revenge.

Daily Express reporter Bob McKenzie declared last year, when McLaren were slow and struggling with repeated engine failures, that he would run naked around Silverstone if the Mercedes-powered team won a race in 2004.

When Finland's Kimi Raikkonen won the Belgian Grand Prix, team boss Ron Dennis demanded the Scot honour his word.

"I'm not completely heartless," he had declared. "He's allowed to wear his trainers".

A smiling Dennis was at the start line at Silverstone, two hours before the start of the race, brandishing a green flag to wave the reporter on his way.

Wearing no more than body paint in McLaren's colours, and a traditional sporran to cover his modesty, McKenzie was as good as his word.

After several shortcuts across the grass, he crossed the finish line to kiss the asphalt in relief with a time of 36 minutes.

Renault's championship leader Fernando Alonso secured pole position on Saturday in one minute 19.905 seconds.

"I've honoured the challenge," said McKenzie, whose effort raised thousands of pounds for a childrens' charity. "Even on the way round, marshals were coming up and giving money.

"I was hoping that they would arrest me but they kept saying 'Go on, go on.'"