Formula One Accused Of Sending Mixed Message On Alcohol At Monaco Grand Prix

F1 "was accused of sending out a mixed message on alcohol at the Monaco Grand Prix on Friday by giving extensive publicity to drinks brands while campaigning for road safety," according to Alan Baldwin of REUTERS. A report, published by European Alcohol Policy Alliance network Eurocare, highlighted what it called a "dangerous cocktail" and urged the sport to move away from such sponsorship. Eurocare General Secretary Mariann Skar said, "The amount of alcohol-related exposure in F1 settings is extreme by anyone’s standards." The report, whose authors include Britain's Institute of Alcohol Studies and Australia's Monash University, "analysed last year's Monaco Grand Prix for alcohol brand exposure." It found that "viewers received an average of 11 references per minute over a two hour period." Three teams -- Williams, McLaren and Force India -- "have alcohol branding on their cars while Diageo's Johnnie Walker was named last year as Formula One's official whisky" (REUTERS, 5/22).