The decision over the Bahrain Grand Prix will be taken on Friday when the FIA World Motor Sport Council meets in Barcelona. The World Council will decide what happens, based on various inputs, including the views of the race promoters, the views of the teams, and its own views about whether an event would be good for the sport, and by association the federation itself. Obviously the Bahrainis are keen to restore the race as quickly as possible, as they wish to rebuild the damaged image of the country. They have been busy telling everyone that the reporting of what has been happening there is wrong and that life is back to normal. Human rights organisations and media from all over the world have a rather different view, which is disputed by the Bahrainis.
From what I understand the teams had a meeting in Monaco last Friday and decided that they are not going to race there this year. This was not based on any moral questions but rather on the date that was being offered to them. One can speculate that the date chosen was designed to be rejected and that this is the politest possible way of cancelling the race, without getting involved in the politics.
There is no doubt, however, that the majority of the teams were not keen to go to Bahrain in the wake of the recent unpleasantness. However there is no fundamental objection to a return to Bahrain one day. The F1 community enjoyed its visits and there was some sadness that the kingdom ended up in its current predicament. The fear in F1 circles is that the underlying problems will revive over time, unless there are some reforms to ease the pressures. It is clear that the older members of the Bahrain regime are wary of giving away power and until there is a change in that attitude the problem is likely to remain and the race will remain a risk for F1.
The word is that the race will be back on the F1 calendar at the start of 2012, unless there are further developments which disrupt this. This gives the Bahrainis time to try to begin to solve the problems that exist, rather than simply papering over the cracks. If the problems do flare up again, F1 may have to look at alternatives in the region. Qatar is keen to have a Grand Prix and can afford to do so, but for the moment that option is not being developed (at least not overtly).
joeblogsf1 
Bernie seems very desperate to get Bahrain back on the calendar. One article I read suggested that Bernie had said he may cancel the Indian Grand Prix and give that slot to Bahrain, which is just ridiculous. What have India done wrong? Nothing.
They deserve their race and apart from in the money mad mind of Bernie, Bahrain doesn’t.
“Qatar is keen to have a Grand Prix and can afford to do so.”
If recent reports are to be believed they can ‘afford’ a lot of things!
Joe, I saw in a BBC article, link below, an allusion to the date problem the teams have presented. It suggests that Bernie may move Bahrain in India’s slot and if the teams won’t play late in the year then cancel India and keep Bahrain.
Do you have anything on whether this is an option? Is it a stick to the teams, i.e. don’t make me cancel the Indian race you know you all want that market. Is it because India are coughing up less dough than Bahrain so Bernie will chose on that basis? Is it just the Beeb getting it wrong?
I can’t imagine anything worse for the sport than throwing out a newly built race track in a large country to accomodate a grand prix that needed cancelling because the government was too busy putting down its people.
Sorry Joe, link – http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/formula_one/13608826.stm
Chris P.
You can believe what you like. Let’ s see what happens in Barcelona…
Talking of races leaving the calendar, the greens in Germany have said the Nurburgring will hold just one more F1 race after the latest.
So unless Hockenheim steps up, we could be waving bye, bye to Germany, maybe that’s why Austria has been suggested lately.
“Bahrainis” in this context should be replaced by “ruling despots” for an accurate reflection of the situation. Safe to say that the “problems” haven’t died down at all, they’re just being stifled by a Saudi-Iranian stand-off.
But it’s reassuring to see Bernie and the boys are still living in their gold-plated bubble. Wouldn’t put it past them to offer Qatar a contract – they’ve no doubt got so much sand in their ears they haven’t even heard of the current World Cup 2022 corruption allegations.
I don’t see how F1 can go back. The Bahraini rulers have proven themselves to be a brutal and repressive regime with no qualms over killing it’s own citizens in order to cling onto power. The Grand Prix was bought and run at a massive loss by the same regime in order to raise their international profile and increase their credibility on the world stage, and the FIA should have no part in trying to help them do that anymore.
F1 shouldn’t go back to Bahrain untill it has a free and fair government.
I agree that the way the teams discussed the issue, were the most polite way, if you will. There have always been a fine balance between the sport and the politics, and F1 must not get involved in politics. That said, I think the situation is so serious that the teams once and for all, should make a stand, based on the fact that hundreds of people have disappeared, hundreds killed, and though we hear reports from the Khalifa Family that order has been restored, there are still several reports of the opposite.
Bahrain is now effectively a police state, and the government are using a smokescreen. Cancel it for good.
The problem is, Jakob, that by “not getting involved in politics”, F1 immediately makes an overtly political judgement. Just by turning up in Bahrain F1 actively aligns itself with the oppressors and against the oppressed. 1980s South Africa all over again.
Arabic and Western cultures quite often curdle when mixed. Learn the lessons from history and make your minds up how to play it.
Admit also that we can be just as nasty and there is no moral high ground left. It is a conundrum. In my opinion sport and politics do not mix, however, an individual is free, here, to make up their own mind.
How does this end?
Does it end with some mollifying “logistical” excuse and humming and ahhing over inclusion in next year’s calendar, or does it end with a complete break with Bahrain?
Is the question only about this year, or generally?
I met this last saturday a Lebanese publisher, who clearly has more experience in his little finger than my brief years, who firmly asserted the “Arab Spring” thing is bunk, with polite undertones of disgust at false hope. I couldn’t draw him out much, that’s not how you speak to your elders or anyone in a social situation, but testing the waters, i got the clear impression he had washed his hands of contact with the whole region, for now. I also got the solid idea he was a impassioned and genuine man, who desires positive change.
Joe, you’re darned right about papering over the cracks. If any sport can do that, it’s F1. But i can’t imagine it. The question is also whether papering over the cracks is even morally conscionable. Recalling your own book, “Sabateurs”, F1 has such a deep history entwined with the last world war in europe, and i personally feel much of its success is connected with exuberance at the stability which reigned after that war. That leads me to the conclusion that even coincidental, ephemeral, connexion with civil wars in states propped up conveniently for our own supposed post war stability, risks upsetting more than a GP.
I believe men like Jean Todt have a very clear idea about all of this. I like quiet government. Usually means they are thinking and paying attention.
But i worry what puppets remain in the FIA, legacy of the Max and Bernie Shanghai Question.
I hope we turn on heel and quick march away.
In the context of one of the best seasons ever – which i am measuring by how many unlikely F1 fans i can create from friends who laughed at my sporting love before* – the risks of this association are multiplied.
Come on JT, you got to be Grand officier for a reason!
– j
*erm, said it before, but Joe’s writing, well before this, salvaged me from Schumi-doldrums. If you get GP+, consider being conniving and leaving printed copies about. I have no idea about the demographics of F1 fans, but my take on this is we have a birthrate deficit, and if that continues, well, we have a fundamental problem. Yes, i am that biased, towards what i think is good 🙂
Also, straw poll request:
who else thinks that the fans have already turned on their heel and want no more, and Bernie’s idea of plugging the Bahrain GP into the late calendar is a crass ploy to get our attention?
Genuine Q.
I can’t help but think that every time people mention oppressive regimes, brutality and the need for a fair and free government surely its hypocritical to say this and be happy to race in China. Its hardly like nobody knew what China was like until after the contract was signed.
F1 should definately steer clear of politics be they good or bad.
However in the case of Bahrain for this year there only seems to be 2 groups of people who want to see a race in Bahrain this year. Bernie and the Bahraini Royal Family. Both for nothing more than PR reasons. Bernie so he can save face with the rich arab nations and show he’s prepared to bend over backwards to accomodate the needs of any Arab state with money. The Bahraini Royal Family as a symbolic gesture supposedly unifying the country again, and to say to foreigners look people everything is fine now, you can come back and do business here.
Hopefully the FIA and FOTA will stay strong on this one and not be pushed around by the money men.
Since it’s Bernie involved, surely the simplest way to find the answer is look at the money?
I assume (perhaps wrongly) that if Bernie says that Bahrain aren’t allowed to race, then Bahrain won’t pay their fees.
If the FIA say that it’s not safe/sensible/whatever to race, and that it’s Bahrain’s responsibility, it may well be that Bahrain is still liable for the full fees.
And if the F1 teams say they won’t race there, then I’d bet Bernie won’t be paying them 1/19th of their usual income, whatever else happens!
Chris P
Qatar, haven of peace. Is not Qatar who is hosting the “non-muslim” private (or rather, corporate) army of mercenaries owned by US company Xe (formerly known as Blackwater)? Still I am sure their record of tolerance, kindness to children and animals speaks for itself.
So ideal for GPs, there will be no trouble in Qatar, they wouldn’t dare!
TimW wrote:
“I don’t see how F1 can go back. The Bahraini rulers have proven themselves to be a brutal and repressive regime with no qualms over killing it’s own citizens in order to cling onto power. The Grand Prix was bought and run at a massive loss by the same regime in order to raise their international profile and increase their credibility on the world stage, and the FIA should have no part in trying to help them do that anymore.
F1 shouldn’t go back to Bahrain untill it has a free and fair government.”
Really?? If you start pulling at that thread, it might get tricky. By pointing the finger exclusively at Bahrain you are implicitely backing the other? Do you really believe China is any better?
F1 should not get involved in politics, where ever you are in the world that runs an F1 race, if you look close enough, you would find a repressed minority, That includes Great Britan!
Ask the Catholics in Northern Ireland if they are repressed and it’s only been two weeks since the Queen of England had to apolgise to the Irish for the excesses of their colonial past.
Bernie and Sett Blatter should sit down and have a talk about ethics. That conversation should last about 10 seconds.
“Martin,UK
I can’t help but think that every time people mention oppressive regimes, brutality and the need for a fair and free government surely its hypocritical to say this and be happy to race in China.”
And the USA.
A recent EU investigation found that the USA kidnapped over 100 people from the EU, flew them to various torture camps, tortured most and murdered many.
Martin,UK,
visceral response from me,
when hurt, recoil.
this other lot bought in on sham pitches.
Not a sale i would have ever thought to make.
so, yes, back to where at least people understand F1 is part of their culture, fans or not, and not yet another showoff tribute to their political betters.
You could get really blunt, and suggest that basically F1 is American and English and French (alphabetical order) and is that not enough?
Don’t waste this though. Make the flyaways, sans Japon, into non championship no holds barred let rip proper test and we’d get them liking it too. They simply have no memory of how F1 grew up. I think F1 is a perennial adolescant, wants to do the business, has no class. Really, it would be that way, because that’s what’s fun about it. But do adolescants do well without a parent somewhere, watching over? The parent is our cultures, countries.
– john
AJ – “Ask the Catholics in Northern Ireland if they are repressed…”
NI Catholics are not denied the vote; the system is one person one vote, universal suffrage for all over 18. I don’t think the same system applies in all countries of the world. But you could always ask Martin McGuinness (Deputy 1st Minister of NI, a Catholic from birth, a Republican and leading member of Sinn Feinn) what he thinks. Or even ask me, as a Catholic with deep NI connections.
The ‘Queen of England’ (error – Queen of the United Kingdom) was not ‘forced’ to do anything. But she is known to be polite and courteous, especially to her hosts. If the English have a fault, it is that they forget things – it has been suggested that they got into the habit to erase the horror of the oppression by William the Conqueror. Be that as it may, the English have largely forgotten the various invasions from Ireland over the centuries and the more recent attacks, which killed over 3000 civilians. The idiot tendency in Ireland, on the other hand, can tell you what the weather was back in 1643 one Thursday afternoon when an Englishman’s horse left a deposit in the road outside old Mary’s house down there.
Grow up, buffoon.
Anyway – back to the topic. I don’t think F1 should go to Bahrein but I expect they will.
rpaco,
we sold lives and more to one another, throughout the history of navigation which brought us all together. I have to ask you, what is one more? My rehetoric answers, this time, there is no belief, ill advised or other, just Creosoan sons, disinherited, flailing about.
Nick said to me, the day i think i said we should do business, something like “Stuff that, we should trade souls”.
I am privately very angry about this silliness in the heart of our civilisation, our religions (plural, note). That company you tilt against is of no import. I mean this, they are not bearing arms in anger. They are impotent.
People on their own react animinalistcally. Take a man into the wild, and he will carve with improvised knives a home and tear many gizzards and see not the difference when his brother takes his territory. So, i see your concern, about this company, hardly a garrison, and up you the idea they are being paid attention to. It is the ones we do not see, who we do not meet, who do no thave this contact with life, which i worry about. They mean nothing in the scale of a map. But why they are nasty is because they claim maps. Phaw!
my very best to you et. al.
– john
RuariJM,
i got cousins both sides of the Pale.
I really really do not like the politics there any which way. Especially not the detente they had.
This stuff makes me sad, i feel the pain.
Putting my lilt on, i do suss your drift, but the very reason we cannot fix it there, is the reason i ask you if you have an Irish name?
No harm, no foul.
Just would be great is we could fricking forget all that history crap.
with the love of man, and God,
yours,
– john
Bahrain? The most exciting thing about the last race was Alonso’s inaugural win with Ferrari.
Call me old fashioned but I like the old circuits: spa, monza, monaco, sao paulo, sazuka and our very own silverstone. These new circuits are all about the glitz, glamour and celebrity and whilst that may have a place in the calendar, I tune in for the racing. So for me I won’t be sad to omit Bahrain this year unless it turns out that a 20th race could have altered the outcome of the championship.
Karen.
I didn’t include the US as they’re not on this years calendar and they are not really renowned for oppressing their own people. (I’m sure you can come up with examples, but its not on the same scale)
AJ makes a very good point though. How long is it since someone was killed by security forces in Britain while protesting? Less than a year?
Maybe we should give up our own right to host a race?
I think in truth if we start only hosting races in countries everyone approves of on a moral ground it would be a very short championship.
F1 should not go to F1 this year as I doubt it is too safe but who knows what the situation will be next year?
MrE is correct to want to push for the race to be held later in the year. He is looking at this from a business point of view where he has to generate some sort of return from each race for the investors.
I read a while ago that there is not a force majeure clause in the contracts for the races, so in theory Bahrain could be fined and be found in breach of contract. Not sure how accurate this report was.
So it is completely understandable why MrE and the Bahraini government want the race to go ahead.
As for morals, they have no place in this. F1 is a business not a sport. Morals do not figure in business.
RuariJM – well said.
If AJ is to be taken seriously, should F1 be racing in the US? The Americans all but erased the indigenous native Americans. I guess that all but forgotten by Bernie – he’s decided that we should all go racing to that city with the impressive racing heritage Austin.
Let’s face the facts here folks – Ethics count for Jack Sh*t. As far as Bernie is concerned, is all about the greenback. Currently we follow races in China – nuff said, Malaysia, Turkey, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Italy, Korea and Brazil to name a few. Of course all the above have no issues with human rights, corruption, population repression, etc….
To mention NI in this context is crass. I was there recording a documentary at the Maze Prison (as was) recently and found the whole atmosphere of the country extremely positive and optimistic. What happened a hundred years ago happened – the country has evolved since then. Some of the oppression and mass slaughter that’s happening in some of the aformentioned is happening now.
Nice one Ruari – couldn’t have put it better myself!
Bahrain? F1 shouldn’t touch it now or next season at the very least. I reckon the teams will think that way but Bernie & the money men have no shame, so anything may happen!
Still left confused by the fact that China is a far worse transgressor, historically, than Bahrain, but no one calls for the cancellation of that race. In my field, we call that a distinction without difference.
F1 shouldn’t simply go to Bahrain for the next two-three years.
Has Bernie received his Bahrain sanctioning fee? Does he get to keep it in spite of this years cancellation? Seems like he would, which may be why he’s pressing to put it back on this year’s calendar; he doesn’t want to owe them a freebie next year.
I think there should be a fan vote to start with over your site, James Allens and Adam Coopers. Let the FIA and the like know our opinions.
If they want to run the race let them. However, we should all stand up and boycott the whole event if they want to run it.
Cancelling the Indian GP is a massive no if what is reported is true. It may be unrealistic, however the fans should have in effect a union leader when massive decisions are being taken. The fans are the lifeblood of the sport and someone who is dedicated to the fans on some sort of FIA\CVC committee would really help to make sure decisions are not only right but are also morally responsible.
I too do not think F1 should go back to bahrein until there is a free and fair government representing the majority.
There have been reports the last two days in the Times that have been particularly damaging to the image of the sport. The fact that there seems to be silence from the team principles and particularly the FIA is a disgrace. Leaving it to Bernie, who has after all a vested interest is a mistake by the FIA. They should just tell the ruling class in Bahrein that they had their fun but its not coming back.
Seems to me that the best way to get the Bahraini citizens out onto the streets would be to programme a Grand Prix to try to pretend that all the problems had gone away. That’s not my idea of being non-political.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/locked-up-for-reading-a-poem-2292032.html
If F1 is to stay out of politics then the F1 show can go anywhere. Although it gives more to the wealthy (in any country it visits) it can, and should, insist that it be available through TV or huge screens etcetera to the ordinary people so they will at least have a weekends exciting distraction. Probably won’t happen as too altruistic.
If F1 is to enter politics and not race is countries where there is oppression then most countries are out! Even the UK where we have a government tinkering with the constitution and ruling without any mandate, police putting down lawful protests and people who may cause trouble ‘held’ before a state occasion.
So please think before making such demands that F1 keep away from oppressive states.
There is a second reason for going to them. Influential people can use the umbrella of F1 to visit and pressure those governments.
its so obvious and pathetic that ecclestone will do anything for the right price. sad state of affairs that the world is in thie kind os situation with people like this in command… bernie and the corrupt and brutal global dictators deserve each other…
Martin and Raider
I have posted before about my unease with the Chinese human rights record and the brutallity of that regime. If I was the man deciding who gets a Grand Prix they wouldn’t have one. The truth is of course that China is a vital market for the car industry as well as many other companies involved in F1, so the Chinese GP will no doubt continue.
The wider issue is, is it right for the FIA to let Governments raise their international profile by having a GP in their country? It’s a tricky question, and if you go back far enough you will find wrongdoing by every GP holding country. A line needs to be drawn somewhere, would North Korea be allowed a GP, or Syria? I believe that the Bahrainis crossed the line, but maybe China is not quite accross it.
I cannot see the BBC screening the race. There will be too much trouble for them if they do
Bahrain lobbies to retain Grand Prix as Formula One staff are held and abused
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/bahrain-lobbies-to-retain-grand-prix-as-formula-one-staff-are-held-and-abused-2292459.html
France 24 correspondent tortured for covering pro-democracy demonstrations
http://en.rsf.org/bahrain-france-24-correspondent-tortured-30-05-2011,40374.html
Richard Sollom Testifies on Bahrain to Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission
http://physiciansforhumanrights.org/library/testimony-2011-05-13.html
martin, not that i think F1 should go to Bahrain until the situation is acceptable, and certainly not this year, i also don’t believe india are anywhere near on schedule at the moment – they’ll be pulling another korea.
Looks like the WMSC & FIA unanimously voted to re-instate the Bahrain GP Oct 30 2011 bumping the Indian GP to a later date/end of season…
Story here: http://en.espnf1.com/bahrain/motorsport/story/50605.html
I didn’t see this coming. thought for sure it would be back but not until 2012.
I wonder what came into play justifying this decision!?
“I don’t think F1 should go to Bahrein but I expect they will.”
And they are, despite the teams’ antipathy.
Hey, I’ve got an idea – why don’t the authorities bus in the prisoners they are holding and use them to fill up the grandspands? At least it would make it look like someone over there is watching…
Thanks for your reactions, guys – they all came in one lump!
My name is Gaelic, John(other John), which also reflects the Scottish connection. I use the shortened version so that they English have a fighting chance of pronouncing it!
😉
On topic – The decision to go to Bahrein is shoddy. I expect the BBC will broadcast – their contract will probably say something about having to show whoever wherever, if I have judged Bernie correctly….