One tiny little point…

The newspapers this morning are filled with stories of how Bernie Ecclestone is going to give Bahrain more time to make a decision about its Formula 1 race. This is all well and good (or not, if you do not think much of the Bahrain government), but it overlooks one rather important fact: it is not for Ecclestone to decide whether the race happens or not. The last time I looked at the rules and regulations, it was still the FIA that makes such decisions and, the federation tends (these days) to look at a rather bigger picture than might once have been the case. Money is not everything and while that is Ecclestone’s thing, the geopolitical aspects of such a decision belong to one J Todt.

There was a time when everyone thought of Todt as being Max Mosley’s successor (read puppet), but in the course of the last 18 months, it has become clear that the Frenchman is not only his own man, but also has his own agenda, and the sport is just a part of it. There is much being done in the worlds of mobility, sustainability and road safety, which is highlighted by a new campaign called Action for Road Safety, which will run alongside the United Nations’ Decade of Action for Road Safety. The Decade of Action will be launched on May 11 with a 24 hour “rolling” event which will begin in the East and will travel West in the course of the day, as governments, international agencies, civil society organizations and private companies mark the official launch of the project. Rumour has it that McLaren will be showing up in Downing Street in support of the campaigns.

The FIA has kept a low profile in the sport since Max Mosley departed, with little controversy and some very successful innovations, notably the driver stewards. The question of Bahrain is an interesting one because the sport must decide if it wants to be associated with a regime that has done itself terrible damage by violently suppressing what began as very moderate protest. One can understand that the Bahrainis were worried about the effects of giving in to requests for more democracy. Such a thing is inevitable when power is held by a few privileged people, while the majority have no say in what happens.

The ruling class may have felt that they were doing what was best for the country, but the way in which the problem was dealt with, has seriously affected the way the world views Bahrain. That may have been a misjudgment and the Bahrainis may wish to turn the clock back and revive their previous status, but that is impossible. What is done is done.

Students of history will point out that the development of modern democracy has been going on for nearly 900 years, dating back to the Magna Carta in 1215, which first limited the authority of the King of England. From then on the lesson of history is that repression is never successful, but always aggravates the problem. One can dominate a population for decades, but in the end the urge for self-expression will always return and it is the enlightened who help the process towards an organised society, rather than trying to maintain a concentration of political power in the hands of a few.

Today is an interesting day in this respect for in Britain there is much celebration with the Royal Wedding. The royals have none of the power that once they did, but they have the affection and respect of their nation. Other nations, who did away with royalty, may not understand the British way, but it is a model of how things can be done.