UK finalist Mike Channell takes e-reporter title As the inaugural season of the GP2 Series comes to a close in Bahrain this week (29-30 September), Bridgestone is pleased to announce Mike Channell, from Wakefield - UK, as the overall winner of its pan-European Bridgestone e-reporter young journalist competition.
Seven finalists were selected for the second phase of the competition, winning a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend a European Grand Prix and report on the inaugural GP2 Series for the websites of Bridgestone Europe and the GP2 Series. Mike Channell attended the Italian Grand Prix in Monza (2-4 September), interviewing a number of drivers, including GP2 Champion Nico Rosberg and runner-up Heikki Kovalainen, before writing the winning race reports and diary entries featured on bridgestone-eu.com/ereporter.
As the 2005 Bridgestone e-reporter winner, Channell will be flying to Japan for this year’s Tokyo Motor Show. He will also visit Bridgestone’s museum of art near the Corporation’s Headquarters and get the opportunity to experience some ecological activities in more rural parts of Japan. The award of a state-of-the-art laptop will also help his career in sports journalism.
"I think it's amazing! I'm stunned that I was chosen ahead of some of the most talented young motorsport journalists in Europe. I already felt like a winner after Monza, but this is just unreal, and visiting Japan should be an incredible experience”, said Mike Channell. “Monza was the most fantastic introduction to the world of F1 and truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. To stand there chatting to my heroes, people who I've grown up watching, and then to see them driving at mind-bending speeds, all in the beautiful Italian sun, was something very special. Not only that, but through GP2, I've met and interviewed the stars of the future as well!
"I think the competition was a fantastic idea. Young journalists would be such an easy area for motorsport to overlook, but with Bridgestone’s e-reporter we have had the chance both to gain hands on experience, and to get ourselves noticed by the movers and shakers in the F1 Paddock. I met several members of the ITV-F1 team, and this opportunity to be 'dropped in at the top' is one that traditionally would never happen. I'd like to thank Bridgestone for everything they have done to make the e-reporter competition not just enjoyable, but highly useful for someone in my position.” As an official partner of the GP2 Series and exclusive tyre supplier, Bridgestone has encouraged and supported the development of talent among the next generation of sports reporters, a view shared by GP2 Series Organiser, Bruno Michel.
“The Bridgestone e-reporter competition has seen a number of highly talented and enthusiastic young journalists pass through the GP2 series paddock in 2005. It has been a pleasure to have welcomed them to the world of motorsport, and especially to the GP2 series. “One of our core values is to provide a platform on which the future generations of this sport can prove themselves, drivers, mechanics, engineers or journalists. I am proud that this series has given these aspiring writers their first break, and I look forward to working with them in the future in a professional capacity, as they continue with their journalistic careers”, said Bruno Michel. Bridgestone e-reporter was open to all students aged 18-30 studying full time in Europe, offering a unique opportunity to young individuals hoping to pursue a career in journalism. Entrants were required to write a 300-word article on a motorsport related topic and, imagining they were a correspondent for a national newspaper, prepare interview questions for Bruno Michel.
All entries for the first stage of the competition were presented to a panel of judges - chaired by ITV’s Formula One Studio Analyst Tony Jardine – from which the lucky seven were selected based on their writing ability, appreciation for the target audience, creativity and an eye for a good story.
“Bridgestone e-reporter has been a great success in 2005. The standard of entries and the output of the finalists have been higher than we expected. I would like to offer my congratulations to Mike who was chosen because of his excellent writing skills, solid background research and inexhaustible enthusiasm. I wish him well with his chosen career path, following the boost that Bridgestone has given to him. I am sure he will have a wonderful time as the guest of Bridgestone at the Tokyo Motor Show.
We look forward to announcing exciting developments for the Bridgestone e-reporter competition in 2006”, commented Jardine. Bridgestone support future journalists and safety How we will travel safely in the future was interpreted by children aged up to 11 years old and the winning artworks decorated a GP2 car exhibited for the first time at the Frankfurt Auto show – for further information visit bridgestone-eu.com/childrensart 2006 Bridgestone e-reporter competition details will be available shortly at: bridgestone-eu.com/ereporter
