When F1 driver Christian Klien crashed Sunday on the first lap of the Monaco Grand Prix, he knew the damage would be costly. He just didn't know how costly.


A flawless 108-carat diamond worth $322,000 was embedded in the nose of his car as part of a publicity campaign to promote the Israeli gem firm of Steinmetz, with a tie-in to Ocean's 12, the George Clooney-Brad Pitt film about a European jewel heist.

After the crash, debris was spread over an area of more than 200 yards. The diamond, presumably, was somewhere in that area.

"We're searching a very large area for a very small diamond," Jaguar spokesman Nav Sidhu said. "We're not expecting someone to turn up and say, 'Hey, we've found your diamond.' "

Exacerbating the problem was the fact that Klien crashed in the first lap. They had to wait two hours for the race to end to safely search for the diamond. "At that point, I should probably have been worried about the car or the race or the driver," Sidhu told The London Independent, "but, I must admit, my immediate thought was for the diamond."


Jaguar has offered a new X-series car worth $45,000 to anyone who returns the diamond, which is about the size of a shirt button. A diamond was also put in the car of Klien's teammate, Mark Webber.

Because of the high cost of underwriting the risky stunt, neither diamond was insured. Sidhu said he hadn't spoken with Steinmetz, but said, "At the end of the day it is the sponsor that will take the loss."

Who the hell puts a diamond on a car? In a race where it is watched to see people crash?

They deserve to lose it.

Second, that poor guy just found out that his life is worth less than 322,000 dollars.

I'd like to see his face when that reaization came about.


Who is going to turn in a diamond with 322,000 for 45, 000?

Oh well at least they are trying.

hmmm well a 108 ct diamond is going to be bigger than a buttonon someone's shirt. a two or three ct diamond is button sized. WOW I have seen a 22 ct diamond I cant imagine what that would look like. However, Diamonds can be crushed. although diamonds are the hardest substance on earth, their resistance to friction is unmatched, but yet is can be crushed by enough weigh (yea even a small dimond can be crunched by a chair or a beer mug) so its either in the glass, or already crushed.

Coor wrote: In a race where it is watched to see people crash?

Aside from soccer F1 racing is the most popular sport in the europe.

The crashes are usually very spectular or very bland. Unlike NASCAR the F1 cars are too fragile for the 'Rubbin' is Racin'' style of driving and a slight bump usually results in a spinout or a lost wheel. And the world's highest paid athelet is an F1 driver. Schumaker (think thats the spelling) makes $80 million a year in all.

Aside from soccer F1 racing is the most popular sport in the europe.

The crashes are usually very spectular or very bland. Unlike NASCAR the F1 cars are too fragile for the 'Rubbin' is Racin'' style of driving and a slight bump usually results in a spinout or a lost wheel. And the world's highest paid athelet is an F1 driver. Schumaker (think thats the spelling) makes $80 million a year in all.

Nifty. I thought that was Indy racing or whatever. Thanks I feel enlightened.

Coor wrote:Nifty. I thought that was Indy racing or whatever. Thanks I feel enlightened.

AH heres more useless info. F1 and Indy are no longer the same.

The owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway wanted chagnes made to the race league. THe leage owners laughed at the silly jackass. Owning a track for a few days does not allow you to make league changin decisions.

SO he took his toys and went home. He formed his own league the IRL (Indy Racing League) and took the 'Indy Car' name away from F1.

The IRL and NASCAR are in bed together, thats why NASCAR runs at Indy now.

While the IRL is gaining popularity it still is a bunch of has beens and never will be's. The F1 teams come to a couple races a year and WHIP THE HELL out of them cause they aren't that good.