Diamond forever lost for F1 team





MONACO -- Diamonds might be forever but not when embedded in the nose of a Formula One racing car, as the Jaguar team discovered.

The car company was left reflecting Monday on a costly Monaco Grand Prix after a £140,000 ($200,000) gem had gone missing when Austrian driver Christian Klien crashed his car nose first into the guardrail at the Loews hairpin.

The diamond had been positioned in the nose of the car following a sponsorship deal with diamond company Steinmetz.

A team statement said after Sunday's race, won by Italy's Jarno Trulli in a Renault: "Christian lost his steering and hit the barriers forcing him to retire.

"His car returned to the garage minus his flawless diamond -- it has yet to be found."

Klien and teammate Mark Webber's Jaguars were also advertising the forthcoming Hollywood movie "Ocean's 12," which involves an international diamond heist.

Stars George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon were all guests in Monaco for the race.

Team spokesman Nav Sidhu said the gem had disappeared by the time the car, hoisted off the track during the race, returned to the garages much later.

"We may not have got the best result on the track this weekend but we have certainly left our mark in Monaco by adding to the glamour," said Sidhu.

"Somebody here is going to walk away with more than just a normal motor racing keepsake.

"I don't expect we are going to get it back at all but we were prepared for this otherwise we would never have done it."