Gamble! says Wee Bernie

Bernie Ecclestone walked in on a group of F1 drivers playing poker in the Force India motor home at Hockenheim last weekend. The card sharks included Fernando Alonso (he’s a massive poker fan, and reportedly hates to lose), Rubens Barrichello, Adrian Sutil and Michael Schumacher (he just can’t stay away, can he).

Ecclestone then suggested to the group that they should stage a game in the high-visibility Hockenheim Paddock Club - Bernie knows better than most that bad publicity doesn’t exist. Anyway, the Paddock Club poker game did take place, featuring Robert Kubica (one of Alonso’s regular poker partners - earlier this season, the Pole took a few hundred Euros off Bernie on Flavio Briatore’s yacht), Nick Heidfeld, Giancarlo Fisichella and Bernie himself. No word yet on who won the $1,000-in game.