Bahrain GP Debate

[Greenlantern101]

I think the cars would beach on the hump into the pits at Knock Hill

 

[FB]

A quick question to all who have contributed to this thread - we now have two similar threads, one with a Poll on Bahrain. If I merge the two the posts will look a bit daft as they are in date/time sequence. Are you okay for me to shut this one and keep all the discussion in the Bahrain Poll thread?

 

[Jen]

Fine by me - I think the general consensus is that it shouldn't happen anyway, but not for political reasons perhaps!?

 

[Brogan]

It's going ahead apparently.

The Bahrain Grand Prix will go ahead on 22 April despite widespread fears over public safety. Formula One's disgruntled teams will be told the news in what is expected to be a heated meeting in Shanghai on Saturday, the Guardian can reveal.

Jean Todt, the president of the sport's governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), will address the dozen team principals and use Bahrain government and police information, as well as statements from various embassies, to argue that the situation has improved, despite recent reports of ongoing pro-democracy protests and violence as the race weekend approaches.

In what will amount to a charm offensive, the commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone will speak to the team officials on the eve of the Chinese Grand Prix and attempt to reassure them, as well as reminding them of their contractual commitments.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/apr/11/bahrain-grand-prix-fia-ecclestone

 

[Bill Boddy]

I presume that at the centre of this is money. Last year Bahrain paid the fee in full, this year they seem to be saying "no race, no fee" since they have not agreed to the race being called off.

The FIA won't want to be held responsible for the loss of the fee. Ecclestone will demand that someone pays the fee, the only ones left are the teams who are contracted to race if it is not called off. The teams won't want to lose money over this so Bahrain will go ahead. Hopefully there will be no damage done to any F1 personnel although I do have a sneaking feeling that the loss of one car on each team would make a few people think.

 

[mjo]

Also, if a race is called off the calendar for two years in a row (except for exceptional circumstances ie natural disasters) then it cannot be in the calendar the year after, so I'm guessing the BIC executives are really pressuring Bernie, who in turn is pressuring the teams to race.

 

[no-FIAt-please]

Human Rights Watch has weighed in claiming that by racing in Bahrain F1 is supporting the government. They go on to claim sport and politics shouldn't mix, surely if this is the case then F1 should race wherever and not take political factors into account at all, works both ways really.

 

[Jen]

Indeed, human rights campaigners can be very focussed and, at times, ill-informed.

It is a very tricky world and one has to try and find the path for common good whilst knowing that someone is going to lose out - I'm not being flippant here; now there only seems to be the choice on how many people die

 

[sportsman]

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/04/2012411134042367377.html
Bahrainis wielding knives and sticks attacked Shia villagers overnight, witnesses have said, as pressure grew for this month's Formula One race in the Sunni-ruled state to be cancelled over the unrest.
A day after a gasoline pipe bomb injured seven policemen, men from Sunni neighbourhoods who answered an internet call to avenge the attack converged on Shia-populated villages near Manama late on Tuesday, according to witnesses.
"I saw hundreds of men carrying knives, sticks and other sharp objects," on the outskirts of several Shia villages, said one man who identified himself only as Hussein.
"They were stopping cars and asking passengers where they lived in order to determine what sect they belonged to," he said by telephone, referring to the Sunni and Shia communities in Bahrain.

 

[Vortex]

If the race goes ahead I doubt they’ll be much, if any disruption to the GP or personnel, the most likely event in my view is the Bahraini and Saudi Arabian army will be there in force to protect and guard F1 and F1 related personnel and any protesters will be dealt with severely and out of sight. Whether that is the correct thing to happen is the real question.

 

[mjo]

at Bernie's interview with Lee Mckenzie, saying that Bahrain will go ahead:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/17699332

 

[ramilas1]

Bahrain, along with most of the region, was front page news for weeks this time last year, and now it's suddenly back!

Where exactly were all the journalists and Human Rights people over the last 9-10 months if things were so awful?

I'm no big fan of Bernie, or government backed repression, but the media's selectivity of when to go into overload on a situation, and when to dump it as soon as their data shows the masses are getting a bit bored, is making me cynical of all reporting.

24/7 news has turned into 23/7 bullshit!

 

[Greenlantern101]

Bernie has had meeting with F1 principles and everyone is happy (except the Bahraines) looks like its on barring MAJOR problems.
http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/news/12433/7669043/

 

[siffert_fan]

Money trumping morality is nothing new: witness the Olympics taking place in Hitler's Berlin, and the Nazi's supporting the Grand Prix effort of Auto Union and Mercedes.

If the teams are taking part because Bernie is using the contract as a club, what would happen if the teams pulled out after the first lap (remember the U.S. GP of 2005)? Perhaps HRT and Marussia should remain on track so they can amass some points.

 

[FB]

There are other ways to make a point - remember the Black Power salutes of athletes in the 70's?

The drivers should agree to boycott an celebrations on the podium, any Ring-a-ding-ding-ding comments when they grab pole or win the race and generally look as miserable as possible when being interviewed. Somehow, in today's corporate F1, I doubt we will hear any speaking out against the situation but this would be far more productive than simply boycotting the race.

 

[Jen]

There are a couple of drivers who can do miserable without breaking sweat!

Have to say I'm disappointed that it might be going ahead.

 

[Bill Boddy]

From the interview with the Sky woman Ecclestone seems to be a bit touchy. Maybe the teams are saying one more bomb goes off and we don't go on?

 

[sportsman]

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/liveblog/Bahrain
Violence erupted in Bahrain between police and protesters on Friday, hours after Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone declared the Gulf nation safe to host a grand prix next week.
All 12 teams told Ecclestone on Friday they were happy to travel to the tiny kingdom despite the ongoing political unrest and no extra safety precautions.
Speaking from Shanghai ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix, Ecclestone says he knows people "that live there and it's all very quiet and peaceful."
However, firebombs were hurled Friday by some protesters. They were chanting anti-government slogans, and riot police fired tear gas and bird shot to clear the crowds. Several people were injured by the bird shot pellets.
- Associated Press

 

[Quintessentially]

There are other ways to make a point - remember the Black Power salutes of athletes in the 70's?

The drivers should agree to boycott an celebrations on the podium, any Ring-a-ding-ding-ding comments when they grab pole or win the race and generally look as miserable as possible when being interviewed. Somehow, in today's corporate F1, I doubt we will hear any speaking out against the situation but this would be far more productive than simply boycotting the race.

Is this based on the assumption that the drivers are going there against their will? I think once the visor comes down most of them don't care whether they are in Bahrain or Basildon, they race. I agree with ramilas1 to be honest. The selective reporting by the media is glaringly obvious to those who want to see it and it's funny how the issue has conveniently found its way back onto the front pages. I would wager that half of these human rights campaigners don't even give a toss about F1. We can wrap it up and cook however we want but the situation in Bahrain and F1 are two separate issues, otherwise we wouln't be in China let alone contemplate going to the next destination.

 

[racecub]

Bernie comes over as such an idiot when he gives those silly non commital answers. Like he doesnt know what people are talking about. Of course he knows what people are talking about. And he's thinking about one thing. Money!!!!