Would you race in Bahrain?

[johnnoble1990]

Politics and Sport should not mix. I think the only way the race can go ahead is if their is calm from the military and if the royal family at not present on the grid. I really hope it all settles down because i just can't wait for the new season but there are bigger issues in the world.

 

[FB]

Thought I'd share this from the BBC website - armoured personnel carriers rumbling past adverts for the Grand Prix in Bahrain.

Bernie in "talks" today...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/9402871.stm

 

[Galahad]

I'm not sure that the Crown Prince can get himself out of his financial obligations by telling Bernie that the circuit is fine, if he cannot guarantee the safety of the event.

The old Concorde Agreement listed the obligations on race promoters in considerable detail, including "elimination of any action prejudicial to the moral interests and dignity of the World Championship". They were also required to provide municipal and police authorisation for the event, and guarantee the security, medical and fire-fighting facilities at the circuit; these may be less of a problem in the circumstances of the promoter also being part of the ruling establishment, but perhaps cannot be taken for granted.

 

[fat jez]

In the case of the GP2 race, it was cancelled (among other reasons) as the medical personnel who would normally be at the race track were required in the city's hospitals.

 

[KekeTheKing]

I keep hearing about safety concerns. Safety from whom / what? The only group that has shown any inclination to become violent is the government / military. They wouldn't pose any danger to F1 personnel.

The protests have been peaceful by all accounts. They have roundly condemned the thuggish acts of their government, and remain committed to a non-violent approach, one that eventually won the day in Egypt. Do we think these protesters would instantly turn violent if F1 cars showed up in their country?

This is strictly a PR / Business matter. Will the Crown Prince snub his nose at his citizens (again), endangering his apparently tenuous hold on power. And will Bernie find a way to collect his fees, regardless of when, or even if, the race is eventually run.

Everyone involved in this whole mess has one reason or another on why they think the GP weekend should go ahead as planned, or why it should not. I'm not sure that safety is the overriding concern for any one of them.

 

[sportsman]

http://www.thestate.com/2011/02/20/1704798/bahrains-protesters-demand-royals.html#ixzz1EbCVi4hk​

"There is a big connection between (the uprising) and Formula 1," said Hasan Dhani, a 23-year-old protester.
"The race has been the prince's dream since he was a child," Dhani said. "He wants to negotiate so he can fulfill this dream, and it makes me sad
"His precious Formula One is more important than the blood of his people which he spilled," said Mohammed Nimah, 38-year-old protester.
The event brings worldwide attention to Bahrain thanks to F1's enormous popularity, but it costs millions of dollars to put on in a country with a big gap between rich and poor, and Nimah said he thinks the crown prince - who owns the F1 contract - only offered talk to the opposition after the popular uprising cast doubt on the race.
"We put pressure on the Formula One contract, the crown prince got scared and now he wants to negotiate," Nimah said.
ad that his dream is more dear to him than the needs of his people."

 

[fat jez]

On that note, Keke, I think this post on F1 Fanatic from an F1 fan living in Bahrain is worth a read, if only to give a more balanced view of the current situation than we get from the media.

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/forum/topic.php?id=1243

 

[Speshal]

On that note, Keke, I think this post on F1 Fanatic from an F1 fan living in Bahrain is worth a read, if only to give a more balanced view of the current situation than we get from the media.

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/forum/topic.php?id=1243

Great article there Jez cheers

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

There is talk, on a couple of sites, that the Bahrain GP has been postponed until near the end of the season, and that there will be a formal announcement soon. It is further claimed that the Mercedes team had said that they would not attend the scheduled test if it went ahead.

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

Here are the links:

http://www.formula1onlive.com/2011/02/2011-bahrain-gp-to-be-rescheduled-to.html

http://gulfnews.com/sport/motorsport/bahrain-grand-prix-to-be-rescheduled-to-end-of-season-1.765003

 

[KekeTheKing]

Yes, thanks Jez.

By most media accounts, there is not a single government supporter to be found in the island nation.

This is not a new game. Media outlets take sides. Revolution sells. Never mind the fact that there are many, if not more (according to LAK at f1fanatic) people that are voicing the exact opposite point of view being portrayed throughout the globe's media.

If the media's goal is to portray Bahrain as a teetering monarchy with a despotic ruler hell-bent on squandering his nations resources and putting their general welfare in jeopardy, then what better way to accomplish this then by focusing on the sole international sporting event to be held there, claiming that the country is so unstable that it would be impossible, and even foolish to go ahead with the spectacle. If this was indeed the goal, then mission accomplished.

 

[fat jez]

yeah, you have to love the power of the press

Why let balanced reporting get in the way of a good story?

 

[FB]

From the BBC F1 Test live feed:

1458: ***BAHRAIN UPDATE*** BBC Sport understands the F1 test in the Gulf state is likely to be cancelled. An F1 team, which did not want to be named, told us the decision will be announced later on Monday. The source also expects the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix itself, set for 13 March, to be postponed because not doing so would be "incendiary" to the political unrest.

 

[KekeTheKing]

"The source also expects the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix itself, set for 13 March, to be postponed because not doing so would be 'incendiary' to the political unrest."

Yes, I'm sure the Sunni government and the Shiite protesters will have sorted out their differences by then.

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

An F1 team, which did not want to be named, told us the decision will be announced later on Monday

That will be Mercedes then

 

[F1Yorkshire]

It's now official that the race has been cancelled.

A video has emerged that was taken during one of the protests and after seeing it I'm in support of the cancellation. There are a lot of issues that need to be sorted out before they think about racing there again.

This video is a little bit graphic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nI02Z8B1dw

 

[sportsman]

Oh God.That is horrific.

 

[chimera]

Because I can't bring myself to 'like' that video in any manner, I'll just state I completely agree with F1Yorkshire and sportsman.

 

[snowy]

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/forum/topic.php?id=1243

I feel for the guy but I feel for the majority that he doesn't represent more.

 

[Jen]

Who the Hell do you believe?