FIA President Jean Todt has spoken and Formula 1 will go next week to Bahrain. It is a curious decision and a huge risk for the sport, the FIA and for Todt himself. One has to ask why this has happened. It is clear that Todt really believes that the Grand Prix will go ahead without trouble, assured by his local men on the ground and their advisors. The goal is for the race to be seen as a unifying force and send out the message to the world that Bahrain is safe for business, tourism etc etc.
The race slogan is all about “unif1cation”, which is not the smartest thing, as this is clearly a political statement and the very first FIA Statute says that the federation will refrain from “manifesting racial, political or religious discrimination in the course of its activities and from taking any action in this respect”. The last time that statute was used was six years ago when some misguided Turks decided to put Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat on the podium at the Turkish Grand Prix, billed as “the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus”, non-existent state that is recognised only by Turkey. The result was that the Turks were fined $5 million by the FIA. The government then lost interest in the race and it staggered on, unloved until the contract ran out last year. At the time the FIA said that “no compromise or violation of this neutrality is acceptable”. There is an argument that by involving itself in a highly politicised event, the FIA is in breach of its own statutes. There is no doubt, even without the ill-advised slogan, that the Grand Prix is a political issue in Bahrain. In a recent demonstration the opposition used protesters dressed as racing drivers, carrying machine guns to make their point. It was propaganda, of course, but it made an important point. Thousands marched with them.
There is also a certain amount of graffiti making the same point.
When it comes to propaganda, there is no question that both sides have been very busy in recent weeks, with the authorities finding people to say all the right things and the opposition trying to show that all is not good. The FIA, which is supposed not to involve itself in politics of any kind, has embraced the government argument, but as no-one inside the federation has questioned the activity (at least not openly), nothing has been done.
There is no doubt that there are people in Bahrain who honestly do believe that the race is what the country needs. Others (myself included) think that F1 is unwise to get involved at a time when things are unstable. When you boil it all down it is a question of timing. The government line has been that Bahrain is totally safe and that the violence that one can easily find on the Internet is the work of a tiny violent minority.
It is hard to know who is right. The fact that Lotus F1 Team sent a couple of people to Bahrain and they reported no problems is not really a good indication. The opposition did not know they were going and so they saw Bahrain without F1 being there. The real question is what happens when the entire circus comes to town, and the opposition knows that is happening.
The FIA has accepted in its press release that it is responsible for the calendar and for “the safety of the public, officials, drivers and teams”. It has, therefore, put itself in a highly vulnerable position if there is any violence against the F1 circus. The government has assured the FIA that the F1 circus will be safe. That is great, but is it wishful thinking? And is it really wise to believe a regime that last year denied all the claims made by the opposition, the international media and human rights organisations only to have almost all such claims proven to be true by an independent inquiry. After that the government said that it would follow the recommendations made but the same critics are now saying that this is not true either. The government says that things are taking longer than expected. Who does one believe?
The question now is whether or not there will be violence as a result of the race – which most F1 people seem to think is inevitable – and on that it is a matter of opinion at the moment. We will only find out when F1 gets there. And that is worrying.
There is no question that holding the race is a challenge to the opposition. If there is no response they will not only have wasted an opportunity, they will also be weakened in the eyes of the world. One could even argue that there is no choice but to try to do something. The Bahrainis have employed former Metropolitan Police Commissioner John Yates to advise them on policing and he admits that there may be violence, but says that it can be contained. That is fine, but there have been signs for some time that the opposition has become far more sophisticated in its protests than it was last year.
In recent months we have seen much evidence of this with civil disobedience, such as blocking roads, industrial sabotage has been mentioned by trade bodies and there is now a hunger striker in an advanced state of starvation. On the streets too there have been developments, with an upsurge in Molotov Cocktail attacks and, in the last few days, the first proper homemade bomb. Clearly the opposition has taken lessons from history in how resistance movements have used different methods when outright revolution has failed. What we have not yet seen is the use of assassination and kidnapping, although both have had a place in resistance movements in the past. During World War II the British Special Operation Executive developed a philosophy to use occasional assassinations to generate more recruits. The logic was this was very simple. The population was too scared to take the risk of taking direct action and so they needed to be jolted out of their inertia. An assassination was a challenge to a violent occupying force. The response was usually more violent and that outraged people so much that they decided to join the fight, despite the risks. The other value in such tactics is that it forces the authorities to protect its important people and that means that manpower is stretched. The use of kidnapping is something that was used to great effect in Beirut, but motor racing has its very own specific story in this respect, as back in 1958 Fidel Castro’s followers kidnapped World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio when he went to Cuba to take part in an event promoted by the government of dictator Fulgenio Batista. Fangio was held over the weekend and could not race. He was then released unharmed. This was a hugely successful move in terms of putting Castro on the international map and giving his movement credibility.
The authorities will presumably know all of this and that means that there will have to be substantial security cover around all high profile F1 people. The fear is that it will be the unprotected who will end up being the targets, simply because they were the only people available.
The question that no-one has been able to answer in all of this is why the race has been pursued with such determination when it would be so much more sensible for the sport to be risk-averse and to wait until things calm down, rather than forcing the issue and taking a risk that could damage the sport, the federation and, specifically, the president himself. If things get nasty in Bahrain, Todt has let himself no room for manoeuvre. Similarly, the local officials will be hopelessly compromised if there is any serious violence, and that would almost certainly mean the end of the event once and for all.
Thus far F1 has not covered itself in glory over the race. Everyone wants someone else to do something to stop the race happening. It has all been about positioning and propaganda (on both sides). Now the die is cast and F1 has to cross its fingers and hope… and ask whether this is the sort of situation that the sport wants to be in.
joeblogsf1 
Lets hope for the sake off everyone that its a non event except on the race track.
Bahrain is usually a non event on track as well…
Thank you for putting in your rich knowledge of how to put up a resistance to a regime one wants to oppose and overthrow Joe.
I fully agree with you, that the best course of action would have been not to put Bahrain on the calender for this year in te first place, or at least have it provisional to the situation improving/moving on considerably from November 2011 (but how to prove it did/didn’t).
Now we can only hope no one gets seriously hurt, although I admit that is a big ask in the current situation.
Hopfully the opposition realise injuries/deaths to members of the F1 teams will harm their cause. Fingers crossed the race weekend goes through without incident.
They’re only ever so slightly effed in the head, this FIA lot. Orders from on high I can only presume. I’m rumbling in my guts with some choice words for the Élysée right now.
Incidentally, anyone know if F1 is FTA in Bahrain?
Because if it’s PPV Bernie must scrap that RIGHT NOW and let the people watch what the sport is about pronto. Serious, make sure they know it’s something we do for genuine unalloyed pleasure, not to entertain fat cats anf bigwigs. Get that broadcast local on the free air right away. Not kidding one bit, I bet there are idealist factions in the UK who’d love to mess up the day of anyone who pays Murdoch his penny, so make it available to all. Probably get amazing numbers viewing. But all essential, you get peer pressure. If you go and feck it up somehow, your neighbors get to see.
Okay, this is going to be interesting. First F1 is going to get a shhh load of coverage in mainstream news outlets. Second the race is going to be *tense*. Third, just everyone here will be on tenterhooks for Joe. Fourth, Joe should get on to the syndication desks for this one. *find someone local to co-ed with??* And finally, I can’t stop thinking what clever but not unpleasant protests can be made if things go well. They’ll not be on the “world feed” but let’s be looking for the photos on the wires.
Good luck to everyone.
p.s. Joe, get yourself an after race slot with Al Jazeera. You already have a proper story to tell. Sorry who I know / went to school with are BBC foreign dept or took the Murdoch shilling, very unlikely to be of help, but this one ought to be obvious for Al Jazeera to do. Surprising (less so with every day) number of city desks I visit keep that channel on in the background. Get the word out wider. Good and bad of it. Even if the magazine has then to run a bit late. Or Monday still good. Please try!
Bad form to keep my own thread going, but a pal of mine knew Prince de Merode when he was FIA prez. Let’s just say he almost chokes on his own spittle when the name comes up, and it does often as my friend was on the sharp end of a lot of strange things courtesy that man. It could be argued that F1 and the FIA does well so long as you keep the French and Belgians right out of it, because otherwise all you get is droit de comptoir de salon. M. Todt ought to be protecting his honneur not his “Honneur et Patrie”.
Jokes on them! They drew a Ferrari from 2007. You can’t boycott the past!
But in all seriousness, this was a truely pathetic move by the FIA. Just because the teams don’t want to anoy anyone so they send it to Bernie, Bernie doesn’t want to lose it so he sends it to the FIA. The FIA doesn’t want to worry any dealings and so sends a weak team to soak up some propaganda.
No one thinks of the fans.
In humor, you know how one time you’d find only very outdated western magazines on your far flung travels? I was imagining if all they had was a 1983 (hope date about right) Time magazine with a certain JPS advert in it, and had copied that. Would have summed up all that’s wrong in F1 so poignantly!
Well said Joe. No one knows, we are all just hoping for the best, or least worst
I presume Jean Todt & Bernie won’t be putting themselves on the front line by attending.
I hope the protesters cause absolute havoc – while not endangering the personnel that have no choice to be there – and destroy the whole weekend so it has to be cancelled at some point during the 3 days.
Whatever happens, I won’t be watching. #boycottbahrainf1
If neither attends the race they should both be fired on the spot.
Either pretend its save and attend or accept it’s not safe and cancel. the event.
I really hope something will happen. Not with serious injuries or even death but a Fangio-like event would be nice. This would really put the FIA and Bernie in a though spot.
Joe,
Is there any chance that individual drivers or teams will bow out, risking fines and throwing away the opportunity to score points? And if so, which drivers/teams are the most likely to do so?
No. The teams do not have that kind of balls.
It’s sad how even the newest teams have nothing of the privateer left about them. That independence was whisked away post FISA – FOCA and then the FIA regs cemented it. I always thought Max M lobbied for exclusionary rules as much to close the door on his own history at March, as to assist the professionalisation BE wanted. Now with teams like HuRT, much as I want to root for the boys in the garage, they are so dangled by nebulous money interests it’s unworthy of the spirit of entry, or their employees. It used to be trying teams had dodgy sponsors, lived hand to mouth but hand to mouth because they were selling, or trading drivers. Now they live hand to mouth because of people who might as well be in another solar system. This removes them, and the money, from connexion to the sport. If you come in pay for play, fecking with some local tax ruse or some other thing like a marketing ploy, which is all Marussia has become, well you cannot expect to command any heart beyond the thickness of your bill roll. Balls depend on how tied to the real economy of F1 you are. I say a scrappy team fighting to get logos on their car to even run it, is far more positive for F1, and far more likely to take a stance, because hand to mouth the honest way also means you know for yourself when to call it quits, and with no backup, you have nearly found that limit but pressed on so many times, and taken the joy in competing for yourself. It is personal that way. So all this token new team pap, well to have done that well would be to unroll the red carpet Bernie wanted to pave the paddock path with for huge names. Because those huge names anchor his income, and the rest are just loss leaders who don;t cost much because they don’t stand much chance of prize money. In my fantasy return to history in a hybrid calendar, I would want circuit promoters bidding for turn up fees, race finish fees, and all that. Then FOM or whoever might have a cut of that. Simply the other way around, and we get to see which model works. I think the old model worked for small teams. Don’t uproot your garden, undo all the things which do work from the Bernie revolution. Just provide nice spots for other plants and bushes to grow, not overshadow them with Trees Of Heaven* which stifle all other growth. Only when you think you have a fighting chance do you grow balls in your commercial shrubbery.
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ailanthus_altissima
That’s just so sad, isn’t it? There’s not a driver in the field with the strength of character to say ‘no, I simply can’t condone this’ and just not go to the airport. Particularly disappointed in the elder statesmen like Webber and Schumacher in this regard.
What with the Hunt movie coming out, and generally lots of 70s nostalgia, courtesy my gen watching their kids grow up now, we could well do with a movement back towards ‘taches, sideburns, sneaky ciggies and some plain talk. It’s simple, really, further we get from the generation who remember real hardship, the more lilly livered we all get, whether we are conscious of it or not. Even who protest at the outrageous goings on hide behind torrents of mealy mouthed analysis, indexes, academic papers, conerences about human rights and all sorts of paraphenalia, instead of cutting to the point. Instead, Harry Enfield style, we should just say “Oi, Bernie, No, that’s not the right way to race.” But then it does say something when a comedian can make a joke of a character who holds strong opinions, and we laugh whilst knowing no-one has the balls any more to say what they mean.
But then my dad would always tell me to stop rocking the boat (how he could expect me whilst he was so outspoken by nature, I don’t know) but you see that makes me think that the problem is simply just how many people surround a young driver these days, all telling him not to rock the boat. I guess had the rest of my immediate family also drummed into me to keep my head down, I might have been a bit more careful. (possibly usefully so!)
So what happens if we knock off all the entourages surrounding drivers? I keep thinking that having such purposeless head counts is a important reason it’s so expensive to get racing. We simply must be loosing out on good talent as a result. Just hate to think what it’s like to be on the other side, hopeful but getting no breaks because daddy or whoever can’t buy you a corporation worth of “help”.
Does a young talent need all these presumably politically correct hangers on?
I don’t know racing up close and personal, but can anyone whose worked with a young driver here confirm my suspicion that sponsors and the similar now expect to deal with a starch shirt office instead of a hungry kid who can turn a wheel?
To my mind they just want a clued up agent and a driving mentor, and they should be fine.
But instead you get whole offices attached to even the lowliest of drivers. My only ever connexion was a friend who knew Alex Yoong’s parents. I got the very strong impression that there was a thick haze of people around Alex, not one of them helpful to him, possibly stifling him, and certainly not being straight with him. We may know him sadly a damp squib in F1, but what if he was simply smothered? How can you gain confidence when you are molly coddled by those desperate for their own comfort as much as yours?
How the hell can they form or hold their own opinion when all these worthless dependants are presumably sculpting and styling every moment of the poor boy’s life like a insecure distracted hairdresser, and inevitably they all want just to keep their cushy jobs, so it’s *they* who don’t want to rock the boat? Imagine if instead of just trying to advise me, my dad had been dependant on me? Wow, I bet I’d never have gotten out of line for a moment, no chance!
Tim, at least Mark Webber did say something. But maybe like Joe said about teams meeting with Bernie, how Bernie is just a lovely charming man, and everyone files out to moan about the situation, having said nothing, maybe there’s just a much wider sense of apathy in F1 now. There’s a tremendous amount that needs to be settled critical to the overall F1 future, and seemingly naff all done. I hope eventually everyone snaps out of it. I have no idea what will cause that, but really it’s just end of era stagnation. Maybe we cannot expect more, not just now. When there’s so much which could shake down, not merely at driver level, one might forgive people thinking stuff it and sitting on their hands. I think that’s more likely than somehow everyone is being kept in strict line by rule of rod.
Todt seems to have gambled his political future on hopes that the opposition will stay home. The same opposition that recently put 100,000 in the street. The same opposition that cannot allow the race to commence without losing their relevancy.
What is the man thinking? Even if the Bahraini and Saudi security forces manage the miracle of an an uneventful event, any political victory for Todt would be miniscule. The sport and the FIA will suffer barbs for simply traveling to the beleaguered nation. The risk reward ratio of Todt’s decision is so skewed towards “risk” as to make it beyond baffling.
The moment the F1 circus lands in Bahrain, Todt’s future as FIA president will be in severe doubt. Bernie won’t take a bit of the blame, it will all be dumped on Todt.
Todt was suckered into a terrible position on this event last year, but this time has walked into a far worse mess. I fear this time it may be a disaster of career killing proportions. I can only gather that the FIA president has completely lost the plot. He’s demonstrating the political acumen of a six year old.
Perhaps the FIA sees this as an opportunity to make Bernie look the fool and get him out of the way once and for all.
Or vice vera
If it goes pear shaped, I think there will be enough blame to cover both parties – don’t forget Ecclestone’s “it’s all perfect” comment.
Anyway, thanks for a very acute summary of the situation.
I hope thats not true, would Bernie risk someones life to try and remove an opponent……….?
I believe Bernie is the personality type that rhymes with motiomath.
So no, I wouldn’t think it bothers him a bit.
One of the interesting things is if you go by the book a really very high proportion of people test as psychopathic in one way or another. Kicking myself I cannot recall who started the modern analysis movement, but he was interviewed in a documentary I saw arguing the entire development of the profession of modern psychiatry fundamentally misunderstood his papers, because his papers sampled long term inmates, and yet what happened was people thought they could apply the same tests to regular folk. The crucial difference was isolating the environmental conditioning. But a whole industry has been built. It’s almost a crime now to feel low or depressed. Even the word depressed is a new false invention. A relative passes, the cat dies, worry at work, argument with wife . . oh, I must be depressed. No, I am just sad and working it out same way as humans have since forever. Happiness is not a state, it’s a reaction. But somehow we are supposed to be happy. They index it by country and profession. Governments boast of happiness and sell the deal to voters. No wonder we’re in a mess, because we’re goaded pushed prodded and prompted to live in a fantasy land. In fact it has all the characteristics of religious zealotry. Because you are either happy or depressed, depending on someone else’s view that has become systemic. I hope if I ever arrive at the Pearly Gates, I shall still have the nuts to say to St. Peter, “Toss you for it”, because the way far too many of those who think it is their jobs to watch over us in life has already become a heaven or hell lottery, whilst we are on this mortal earth.
Forgive my rant, please. It started because I keep thinking all these pop psych articles (must be in the millions of them by now) stating high level businessmen are sociopaths or psychopaths is actually encouraging bad behaviour, and yet the whole premise of all of this has simply been made up all along. It certainly provides justification and excuses. Which work because of a system’s blind belief individuals are influenced and do not instead influence themselves. Convenient for some to encourage the idea of helplessness and lack of self determination in life. The problem is there are simply far too many of these modern fallacies to dispel.
So, I’d rather just say Bernie is a right whatever for having this race, not argue he’s subject to some jumped up mental pidgeon-holing. Yup, he’s just being a [unprintable compound noun] . At least by saying that, we’re addressing the problem, not a theory.
Bernie has proved himself a far more nimble politician than Todt.
If Todt thinks he’s set a trap Bernie, he needs to think again. Bernie is 3 moves ahead and has probably already turned Todt’s trap against him.
Although I wish that was the case I think it is more plausible that what Joe says is what is happening… unfortunately.
You could say a lot of things about Max Mosley but I bet he wouldn’t have let it come this far and he probably had pulled out long ago (or maybe that is wishful thinking on my side…)
Joe, you have made some good and sensible arguments why the Bahrian GP should not go ahead, but nowhere have I seen the important principle being argued that giving way to potential political pressure creates undesirable precedents for misuse elsewhere and by others. Cave in to the Bahraini protestors (no matter how reasonable their arguments) and how long before other political activists try the same stunt in Spain, Brazil, Australia etc? We have already seen “nutters” disrupt GP’s and recently even the hallowed OxCam!
According to the FIA Statutes no race should happen if it is politicised.
The question surely: politicised by whom? How long is the list now? Gah . .
Was this a statement by Todt, I means has he actually appeared in peson and spoken? (Become visible!)
So what happened at the 12:30 meeting between the teams and Bernie?
I totally agree with you that the race should not go ahead, simply because it endangers team members and the rest of F1’s entourage. Despite the FIA statute stating that the federation will refrain from “manifesting racial, political or religious discrimination in the course of its activities and from taking any action in this respect” i believe that politics plays a significant role in most of the races be it positive or negative. Most races are funded or assisted in some way by the government and this makes it political. Just in the same way that all major sporting events are politically manipulated with governments taking credit for successful events and oppositions blaming governments for failed events. With the London Olympics expected to cost UK tax payers £24billion for 2 weeks of sport and less than £1billion in legacy benefits and an estimated £5billion in tourism. The event has been used to inject vast amounts of money into the economy on the pretense of sport which the government will take full credit for.
Sport is political and the sooner that that is accepted the better.
It’s all a bit too reminiscent of the 2005 US GP, no? Everyone thinks it’s someone else’s responsibility to “do something” and no one wants the responsibility themselves.
“If things get nasty in Bahrain, Todt has let himself no room for manoeuvre.”
I remember you writing some time ago that Bernie and JT don’t get along and Bernie would like a new president of the FIA. If things go wrong Bernie will just say don’t look at me, the FIA approved it…
But he’d need one hell of a PR-assistant to defend himself. He himself kept telling us all how safe it was over there….
Lets speculate at whose heads will roll should the violence cumulate in a serious injury/death for a member of the F1 fraternity.
Todt’s position is basically untenable already, Bernie will dodge all blame, will Whitmarsh step down from FOTA (who could quite easily have stuck it to Bernie, were it more than a sham organisation)?
If a team member is hurt/killed, would said team principal step down for taking his team into what is essentially a warzone?
Can’t wait for it to happen or what?
With all due respect to your opinion and concern of having the Bahrain GP taking a place due to violence as you say…. My question is: are you going to attend the Bahrain GP? As far as I know that you are against this race..
Yes, I am attending. That is my job and I will be there. I do not think the race at this time is a good idea. That does not mean I am against the race. There is a subtle difference.
But if you think it’s not safe, why go? I heard Austrian TV and Fuji TV are not attending the race.
Why risk your live?
Because it is my job.
your job is to report on Formula one. Not report on a warzone or dangerous area’s.
If you where a war-correspondent I’d agree it’s your job. If you where a racedriver, I agree it’s your job but you’re neither. You are a sport-correspondent. There should be no danger to your life.
That you for telling me my job.
Consider what it says about him if he chooses not to go.
Anyone who works for themselves and does it well does not read the Guardian.
There are things some people think you should do and things that you just have to do.
While I agree with you Joe about the inadvisability of holding this event at this time, I think you are a little incautious in evoking at length(with perhaps implicit approval) examples of the use of assassination by resistance movements and their abettors such as SOE (of which my own father was a réseau commander in France).
Should someone in Bahrain pick up on your comments and decide to kidnap or assassinate someone in F1 – or indeed anyone else – you might have a bit of an uncomfortable moment. Even though I know that you are NOT advocating such a course of action.
They do not need my help to understand this stuff. It is very clear that some of these people know they are doing.
I for one think that the protestors will take every step to publicly ‘show up’ the authorities brutal tactics. Whilst it would be theoretically possible to ‘lock down’ the circuit itself, the image sent to the world will be one of a military style dictatorship.
The ‘circus’ doesn’t just exist at the circuit on race day. They’re in town for four or five days, they’re at the airports, hotels, city centres, and all of the roads that connect them. It will be impossible to manage every interaction between the media and the locals.
What will the authorities do if there is a woman or child, standing peacefully on the sidewalk opposite a hotel where the worlds journalists are staying, holding a placard or banner demanding democracy? Will they leave her to peacefully make her feelings known? or will they drag her away, kicking and screaming never to be seen again? How would that look to the world?
How many people does it take to ‘run’ the GP. I’m talking about stewards, merchandising, hospitality Etc… What happens if as the race is underway heaven forbid one of them decides to set themselves alight and run out onto the track, it would be difficult for ANY regime to be able to sweep something like that under the carpet and claim that all was well.
I feel that the by holding the race the opposition has already won round one; the ‘circus’ will attend and the world will be watching. That gives them something they haven’t had for some time: global awareness, Syria and to a lesser extent North Korea have monopolised global coverage of late, now the cameras will be in their backyard, and we all know how the news editors love ‘visual’ news, I fear that the opposition will take their opportunity and create plenty of footage for them…..
I have a sinking feeling for next weekend and I think the FIA have lost the plot over this. As usual this site is the only place I’ve seen any reporting about this. Excellent words as always. My main concern for next week is the safety of the team personel.
I’m shocked at this decision. I don’t see what f1 has to gain unless you take the view that all publicity is good publicity. A race going on while in the background people are being shot at while hurling petrol bombs back will certainly have a visual impact for all the sponsors. You have been watching Suppression of the masses sponsored by Red Bull, Santander and the FIA.
Great factual post Joe. Just what F1 needs – a showcase for demonstrating its power to convene some of the greatest global brands so they can showcase their greed and irrelevance. The pinnacle of European technology reduced to petro-totalitarian circus animals. Those without balls – i.e. the teams – will probably pay dearly for this mistake. You illuminate a chance for real people at real teams to step forward and call it like it is, and not participate in what will become a parody. Last year everyone was having fun with the photosims of tanks painted in team colors – fun because F1 was staying away. This year the parody is directed right at the organizers and team owners. The lazy and careless will be burned in this new paradigm, and they’ll fully earn their longlasting injuries.
As Groucho Marx said : “These are my principles. If you don’t like them I have
others.”
Joe: Are you going to attend the race? The teams/drivers/bigshots will be inside the cocoon, the military will have a chokehold on the rest of the country, more so than now.
Dieter Rencken (amazingly) makes a good point – When F1 is so safety obsessed that we run safety cars during wet races until the cars can run on inters, why do we go head on into a warzone with no further thought? He terms it poor “Risk Management” – something which F1 is very good at on a technical level.
In my opinion, Jackie Stewart has now lost what little credibility he had left with his comments on this race. How can a man who rocks up for any interview preaching the cause of safety for drivers and spectators, think that transporting the hundreds of people involved in F1 – entirely innocent and unpolitically doing their *jobs* – there is in any way safe or a good idea.
In 1966 he had a choice as to whether he went through a very wet Masta kink and suffer the consequences. Nobody forced him to do it.
However, he is suggesting that FIA/FOM force teams and media (who it seems to me don’t want to go “hand on heart”) to go and perform and provide a focal point for people trying to change their *regime* in their country.
That means Revolution. Revolution is not a pretty thing – just look at history.
JYS, like so many “blue blazers”, seems to have let his need to keep his “connections” happy overrule simple common sense. I am not taken to histrionics but I struggle to have any respect for him now.
When the suits make those stupid decisions, it means lots of ordinary folk – with families and mortgages – have to go into this environment. Idiotic. This then means ordinary folk in the media are then duty-bound to go too. Again, Idiotic.
I have no sympathy for Officials, Drivers and Team Bosses. They can helicopter about under armed guard quite easily. I have GREAT sympathy for the mechanics, PR people, TV folk and journalists who cannot hope to be looked after in such a way. They should simply not be put in this position.
I doubt Jean Todt, JYS or Bernie would want their kids going there on holiday. If that is the case then it should be called off.
If I didn’t feel for the people on the ground so much, I would generally say F1 will get what it deserves. But we all know it won’t be the bigwigs that suffer if something goes wrong. If it does, then surely those in charge (including the Team Principles) will be in an untenable position?
And as Joe has noted, now the Fleet Street boys are looking at it, it will not be pleasant. Just ask Rupert Murdoch…
Brave decision by the FiA, looking forward to the race.
Hope all will be safe and that cool heads will prevail on both sides of the conflict.
I just wish one driver, just one, would have a Spartacus moment and say “I’m not going, I don’t want to be part of that”. I’m sure others would follow. What’s the worst that could happen? A fine? a loss a salary for a race? A brief suspension? He would be a hero…
This is the most stupid situation I can remember in 50 years of following Formula One. Nobody will come out of this well if this goes ahead, violence or no violence.
Unfortunately the FIA are between a rock and a hard place when it comes to the Grand Prix becoming a political statement. The Grand Prix not going there would be a victory for the opposition and is probably a stronger political statement than actually turning up.
In essence their path was set as soon as the grand prix went on the calendar as the best way to stay apolitical is to do what they committed to do originally, which was run a race. It may be ill advised and I’m sure there’ll be plenty of hindsight post event but I don’t really see what else they could have done from a “not taking sides” point of view.
Hopefully the opposition is clever enough to organise peaceful demonstrations that will be seen by the worlds media and maybe gain them support rather than resorting to violence and rioting. The threat of violence and rioting was a clever way to stop the race even happening and would have been a great coup , but following through on that when the race is there can only serve to hurt their cause in my opinion.
So thats it then, the decision from high has been made. All the nonsense with Bernie talking to the teams and trying to pretend that their opinions matter was obviously just a side show.
Todt is taking a massive risk, if a protestor is killed by the security forces to allow the race to go ahead, Todt will be out, no question. It wont do any good for Jean to go on TV, onion in hand and say that he had no idea that this could happen. There is a specific threat to the race, the Bahraini government have clearly been using the GP as a political football to try and portray to the outside world that everything is fine, removing a GP from the calendar is a tough sanction, but I would have thought that either of these reasons would have been enough to justify the race being cancelled.
Hopefully all the fuss will have been for nothing and the race passes by peacefully, the alternative could be disastrous for the people of Bahrain and F1.
I assume the onyl way the event will now be cancelled is if the promoters cancel it. I recall last year Bernie forced them to cancel it so as to ensure they still paid the race fee.
No, if the British Government changed the Travel Advisory there would be no insurance and that would be force majeure.
I thought I’d read the Bahrain government agreed to pick up the costs of insurance?
Though given the short time until the teams need to be in country, a travel advisory would give the teams enough contractual cover to delay their arrival for a few days.
A few day delay this late in the game would be enough to see the event’s cancellation.
Now, we know that it’s all very important stuff and we all know that Joe will keep us up to date with what’s going on.
I, for one, am getting fed up with politics. Joe had 322 responses, at the last count, to the recent Group Lotus article (including one of mine). Joe – we all love you!
So, can everybody get back to F1 racing for a change. Please.
Well, this pretty much guarantees that the opposition has to do something disruptive enough to be TV-worthy. Whatever that may be, the details are planned, we just don’t know what they are. More than several somebodies likely will get hurt. Won’t be Bernie of course, as he choppers in and out.
Spin it as he might, his scheduled event will serve as provocation for violence. I doubt we’ll ever hear the names of the locals who take the brunt of it. Let them eat cake, etc.
I wonder how what kind of pressure has been applied to Mr. Webber to prevent him from reprising his comments of last year. Joe, I don’t pretend to know your business but I hope you will be able to ask him.
Stay safe Joe.
One question that struck me this week was about the UK riots last year. If the riots occurred on the same weekend as the British GP would we debating the merits of racing in the UK or not? Were those riots not a protest against the ruling ‘regime’ to some degree or another? Just putting that out there.
The riots were initially a protest against the shooting of a youth by police in London. The violence then went opportunistic with rioters using social networks such as BBM & Facebook to highlight weakpoints in police lines in order to loot places and cause damage.
It then spread out of London to other major cities when the rioters saw that the London Police were fighting with one hand behind their back, scared of anything more than kettling lest the media come down on them like a tonne of bricks.
If it truely was against the ‘ruling regime’, then the entire country would still be up in arms what with the crooks in Whitehall have been up to since.
the difference obviously is the rioters in Bahrain have something to protest about!
Whether they were or not, they weren’t specifically against the Grand Prix, which the Bahrain protestors clearly are (see the photos on this very article).
Stay safe Joe. Look forward to your view on the whole picture of what is occurring in Bahrain.
One question that struck me this week was about the UK riots last year. If the riots occurred on the same weekend as the British GP would we debating the merits of racing in the UK or not? Were those riots not a protest against the ruling ‘regime’ to some degree or another? Just putting that out there.
You are joking ?….OMG, your not are you..!!…
Hi Joe, is there any indication Mr Ecclestone himself will be in attendance? Ted Kravitz made mention this morning that Bernie will be in London on the 22nd, supporting his girlfriend in the London marathon.
Not a great measure of the man if true, but I suppose when the going gets tough, the tough run away on their private aeroplane.
Be safe Joe.
What with the unhappy Force India fans, the angry Michael Schumacher fans and the mental Group Lotus team, Bahrain can’t add any greater risk to your daily life 😉
It seems like crazy Brinksmanship to me. If it happens I hope there are no casualties.
Please take care, Joe.
Is it time that the F1 fans around the world make our collective voices heard and boycott the race by not watching the race?
It is.
I for one WILL NOT be watch the Bahrain F1 race.
To the FIA, Bernie and CVC…………………are you listening!!!!!!
“Metropolitan Police Commissioner John Yates to advise them on policing and he admits that there may be violence, but says that it can be contained.”
Brilliant insight commissioner, WW2 could be described the same way!
I’l be curious to see if any team sponsors have their logos removed so that they are not seen as supporting the event.
Joe:
do you believe should things go wrong, Mr.E’s comments of…I cant force the teams to go, it’s not up to me to cancel the race… will actually wash his hands and absolve him of all responsibility?… we all know who’s pulling the strings so comments like that are meaningless to me (I hope to many other people as well).
I fear Jean Todt has allowed himself to be placed in the position of holding the bag and it’s looking like he will be the one to pay the price if things take a turn for the worse. I’ve always thought of him a very shrewd tactical man; it seems he’s trying to prove me wrong with his handling of bahrain both last year and this one.
If Mr. E absolutely insists that “money is not the problem” he is telling the untruth. Bahrain GP is ALL about money, as manufacturers like Mercedes are tied with it as well as Bahrain in 2010 was Nr. 2 following Monaco regarding television coverage, which sums up to a large amount of money. Thats the reason why they are fighting for the race at all costs.
F1 is a great sport which I dearly love but when it comes to politics, it has always had a dubious reputation and more than once I have felt ashamed for the decisions of Hitler-fan Ecclestone and his clan – they used to race in South Africa when there was still apartheid, they served the Argentinian junta, they now race in China… If for one time, all F1 fans would turn off the TV next week as soon as the light switches to green, we might send out a signal.
Obviously it’s an environment where people get things done, isn’t it? Regarding Kyalami or Argentina, there is a subtile distinction as there were no rioting crowds and practice of international terrorism and no immediate danger like now in Bahrain. And in Kyalami 85, even the Renault, Ligier and Lola Teams were missing because of political reasons, something we are light years away from now.
What a sorry state of affairs.. No matter which decision was taken F1 was being used. The sensible thing to have done was make a proper independent visit.. that would’ve revealed the sorry state of affairs Bahrain is in.. No journalists in country can reveal what is happening there. There is no freedom of the press.. which in itself speaks volumes. F1 is a sport, one which the Bahraini’ royales have invested in.. the country is in need of economic pick up .. and F1 is very much being used.. to put on a false display of business as usual.. which is a joke.. if it were business as usual you will see no armed protection, heavies, tanks etc.. But I am pretty sure there will be a lock down..for the main arena/circuit and those who are the stars of F1.. anyone else there will need to be careful very vigilent.. and use a lot of common sense. I do not know what the best result from this GP going ahead will be.. everyone safe and away with the GP having taken place without incident.. but a total lockdown.. Or for F1 decision makers to be shown what a ridiculous decision this was by something happening.. which can show what a sorry state of affairs the country is in.. I do not want anyone hurt.. for F1 to used.. or for the government of the country to feel its managed to fool the world.
I’m an expat living in Bahrain for the past 20 plus years and I have seen a lot of changes and have seen how the government have helped out their people in terms of education, housing, medical help, financing and other benefits that its people have. The problem is that those disillusioned people think that all these are given in all the countries in the world. They want everything free. If you really look at the number of these people compared to the total population, they are really a minority. The only thing is that the media has just focused only on them and not on the total number of people who are not involved with this.The media always talks about these people’s rights but have not given the say of other people, especially the expats and the suffering that we experience. We too have the same needs but the difference is that we are willing to work for it and not have things free. If only BBC and the other media give us the same air time, we too can tell you how it is a blessing that we are given the opportunity to work here. These disillusioned people should wake up to the reality about how much they are given and that their government has done for them.
The slow down in economy is not the government’s doing but their own. They have driven away a lot of major companies because of this a lot of expats have lost their rights also to have a job and to earn for their families. So BBC, I just want you to know that we too have rights.
Interesting Jan – too many armchair critics, not enough people with real first-hand experience like yours of the situation.
I notice Joe hasn’t responded to your posting yet.
I also note Damon Hill’s support of the FIA’s position today.
Jan, we can understand your gratefulness to a country that has given you your opportunities. However you have not mentioned what suffering it is that you as an expat are experiencing that needs to be heard. You seem to resent the “disillusioned” people who are seeking their rights and you want them to be grateful to the government the way that you are. You blame the economic slowdown on them driving out major companies.
None of this explains why, for example, security forces go out of their way to use teargas and hit and shoot at people attending funerals, as has happened today.
No one is closer to the scene than you Jan, as a current resident. All your points are relevant, but I have one question for you: Do you think the race should be held, in spite of potential further turmoil?
Are you also saying that the issue is about welfare subsidies as opposed to religious suppression? All the religious and personal freedoms issues are just a smoke screen? I’d really appreciate your take.
Thanks!
Sounds like my hiring problem in the UK:
(bear with me, this is a simple vignette)
“[,,,]education, housing, medical help, financing and other benefits that its people have. The problem is that those disillusioned people think that all these are given in all the countries in the world. They want everything free. If you really look at the number of these people compared to the total population, they are really a minority. ”
only that illusion is held by a seeming majority here. I know one or two people who have benefited immensely from e.g. public housing, in conversation with whom, should the subject be raised, i believe a clinical psychiatrist might sit bolt upright and start taking notes so intense, contradictory and illogic are the positions maintained and how quick to anger. I mean real anger that is disturbing. I spent a couple of hours yesterday morning on the phone to a man who may be opening us an office in New York, before we bother in the UK with all that again. I can hack the high US corporation tax any day in preference to the UK social costs of employment. Means I can offer better. And no, no low tax state, taking a straight NY registration. Don’t want to be a brass plate somewhere in Nevada. Actually the time zone overlap is just about right for us to be on the east coast to fill in the gaps, and there are other factors such as the man I was speaking to is just right for us and doesn’t want to uproot. But not a few weeks ago I was offered an office down the road from us – a 5 minute walk, back home for proper lunch – on a peppercorn basis. I declined. No thank you, racketeering local councils, insane business rates, intrusive inspections. Earlier in the week, a man clutching a local council ID card barged his way into our private block so aggressively, reminiscent how a tough Columbian friend of mine would act, only less friendly, I wondered whether to call the police, but he’d have been immune and me done for wasting police time, I described our borough to my younger friend, as more like New York in the 70s. Totally corrupt. I also described how local authority functionaries have warrant-less access to emails and all sorts of who they claim to purview. This shocked a young bright American, and so it should.
Forgive me my digression, please. I want to illustrate that unrest is very difficult to qualify from any perspective. I think there is potent unrest, obviously peaceable, in the lower echelons of the business world where I am. Consider that most operators of tiny businesses do not have the options I have because my experience dealing with complex always very large customers, or familiarity with law. Some guys seethe as bad as the self entitled who believe that housing of a high standard is a human right. Sometimes I think the human rights lobby in the UK exists to justify draconian civil laws, by myopic presentation of imaginary or misguided rights for narrow interests. Someone commented the other day, same name as a great friend of mine – and I really had to make sure it was not him – that the UK lacks human rights. Because we had just met for dinner and were discussing how the idea of human rights simply did not integrate into the balance of law as applied to common man here, seeking modest justice, as oppose to seeking immodest affordances and protections from the law. It wasn’t my friend who commented, but the joker could have made a point. The idea of human rights ought to be inculcated in structural review of the system, to make it worthy of the idea. Instead it is a firebrand, a totem, and a marching cry of agitprops. The very words keep The Daily Mail in ink and paper. But when it comes to places like Bahrain, the application of the phrase must be deeper, because if their society functioned in fairer ways at appreciably practical levels, there might be no support for armed reactions. I say we need to think about that at home, too, in terms of polarising society. Totally separately, but of relevance, the Homs insurrection, at least the one of 20 years ago, was as far as any report I have ever read, a conflict over the imposition of almost Taliban like law de facto by a separatist minority. What is described as a massacre was in part reaction to the inhuman treatment, for example, of women who did not observe the strictest codes which would to most of us be abhorrent. It is extremely hard to say what is happening, even when you are on the ground, because you may be on the ground in the wrong part, the wrong city, or even the wrong street to know what is going on, Algiers being the singular explanation of what a street’s distance can mean in difference of living and chances of existence.
All this matters to us in the “developed west” because we also risk polarising our societies, and with there are aspects of economic policy – I am not talking about just taxation and subsidy, but central banking policy – which are expressing greater fault lines within the classes historically in recent generations who have been stable and looked after themselves. The past 40 years have actually fragmented, if not broken the very concept of, the middle class. In the UK, before you nett contribute tax against services you receive, you are very very close to being in the “one percent”. It is far more pernicious than simple unifying palliatives such as “the squeezed” middle suggest.
Jan’s comment reads as informed, but I don’t think addresses the concerns we have been discussing here. However disconnected his arguments may seem, Jan may nevertheless be more pertinent at another level.
Lets hope no one gets hurt, but I think it would be great if at least one molotov cocktail hit one of the F1 cars. That might be the jolt that the west needs to wake up to the fact that tyrannies are tyrannies – irrespective of whether they are friendly or not. So much has been said and done about Libya and Syria, but no government cares about the Bahrainis just because UK & US have military bases there and because the Bahraini tyrants have huge investments in UK/Europe.
A burning F1 car would be a great signal to the outside world that all is not well in Bahrain.
I’m concerned about a suicidal protestor going splat on an F1 car. You’d get a lot more attention for your cause by being splatted by an F1 Ferrari on live global TV, than you would getting splatted by an armoured personnel carrier (likely sold to our Saudi friends by the UK) in a Bahrain backstreet.
Joe, thanks for your thoughtful and fact-based perspective on the isssue.
Sorry, that was “issue.”
Proof-read then post….proof-read then post…proof-read then post. Someday I’ll get it…
I thought that it has been well overdue that I thank you for your sincere, thoughtful and open blogging of your views and thoughts regarding all matters F1. I’d also like to thank you for your continuous addressing of the issue of Bahrain, with respect to the race being held this year and beyond. Not to mention your writings last year on the subject. I’m sure that you do not need me- an anonymous reader of your blog- to say this, but you deserve trememendous credit for your honest and careful deliberations regarding this matter, and for your remarkable dedication to your job. It really is admirable to see that you intend to go where F1 goes, reporting on it as you always do, despite being concerned for your safety.
I feel obliged to regrettably carry on with my own word, due to the recent developments of today. Having been an avid fan of this sport for seven years (a lot considering my age), I feel compelled to refrain from following the only sporting interest I have, a passion of mine perhaps, from Wednesday and beyond. It is a matter of principle, and I have lost too great a respect for the competitors and organisers of F1. I do not know how I can continue to follow the sport when it has a disregard for even its own people- team members, journalists and spectators alike- due to a blinded thirst for money. I do not know whether I am alone or not in holding this sentiment, but I am not sure whether that matters to me. If, Joe, or anyone else for that matter, you can spare a moment to explain to me why I am misguided, or just wrong for holding this position- if indeed you view me to be so-, I would very much appreciate it.
I don’t think you are misguided, Seb. Your commitment to your views and expression of them is admirable. It is always best to do as you feel is right in this world. I myself let my interest fade or rather slide into complete inattention to F1 until very recently, because I felt far too much had gone morally wrong and therefore distanced F1 from any sense of sportsmanship, following Austria 2002. It took some time, I just started drifting. There always seemed to be something to put me off. I was not watching F1 so much as half browsing it. Just felt little connexion personally. The reason I stayed viewing at all after Austria was it was habit to watch with my late business partner and wonderful friend, and so we kept up the habit even if rather using the race days as an excuse to vent steam at all manner of other things we were angry with.
So F1 served a different purpose: we were pissed off with F1 so convened around it and chugged our drinks and let rip with everything else that annoyed the heck out of us! When my friend passed, well I don’t remember watching any F1 then. Oh, sure I must have done, sometimes, but not any distinct memory. In off season ’07-08 I tried to get back into it, and read everything in Joe’s F1 Encyclopaedia. (online at grandprix.com) Then, oh, crashgate. Lovely. I was weaned back eventually by discovering Joe’s blog here, but though 10 and 11 were for me signal years I enjoyed immensely, I am loosing heart again for reasons not entirely dissimilar to yours, but more broadly drawn. I feel a right dupe, having Sky when I dislike television with a passion. Perez gave me heart. Rosberg on pole is very cool in my book, like him a lot. I don’t know, but my heart is not right in it at all, not now. Follow yours, maybe read something else about F1, if you are simply disgusted by present affairs. No point in bashing your head or forcing yourself if you’ll not naturally enjoy it.
I don’t want to persuade you any which way at all, but maybe just find out what it is and who you like in it beyond the politics, and keep an eye on that or them. There’s lots of new guys coming through, which is why I’ll stick with it, I missed the last generation coming up, and if anything this generation are simply better all around. So I think there’s lots to see yet. Just don’t force yourself. I missed a generation because I had no heart in it, and never connected to them, because I couldn’t. That really made it boring for me almost as many years as you’ve been watching. Bottom line, follow your instinct, but if you have any favourites just growing up in F1 now, keep an eye on them, you may very well want to keep that connexion.
Have to commend you on your position, and for not taking pot shots here and there as so many seem to have done in the comments.
all best – j
To held this race , regime needs to applied a emergency law to break and prevent the possible massive demonstrations in all areas ! Well , already the pearl roundabout is surrounded by troops since march last year and the location of this area near capital Manama ! What I really understand is that FIA makes a big deal with Bahrain regime regardless of violences and human rights abuses
There’s no mystery about it, is there ? Very big money is at stake here. The track and parts around will be turned into a fortress and all the nasty stuff will happen far away from the TV cameras.
I wonder what travel restrictions there’ll be on investigative journos who come for the ride.
Damon, say it ain’t so!
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/98779
Flipper has nothing on this guy!!
He know “fully suports FIA’s decision” – where the hell this U-turn came from? no reserves , no questioning – all gone within a couple of days?
And do you think that Mr E will be in Bahrain?
Is his job under threat or is he just a fool?
He never struck me as a fool…
Live and breathe Bahrain and you will understand that it is morally wrong on every human level for the F1 to go ahead
Seb, you are not alone. I feel as you do.
Demonstrations planned 12, 13 and 14 April.
“Please be aware of the following planned demonstrations:
On Thursday 12 April at 20:00, a demonstration is planned in the vicinity of Karbabad, close to Seef.
On Friday 13 April at 16:00, a march is planned from Jidhafs to Sehla.
On Saturday 14 April at 16:00, a demonstration is planned outside the British Embassy (Diplomatic Area, Manama).
We also expect other protests and disruption in various areas of Bahrain to continue through the coming days. As a result, we continue to advise British nationals in Bahrain to maintain a high level of security awareness and to exercise caution, particularly in public places and on the roads, and to avoid large crowds and demonstrations.”
http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/middle-east-north-africa/bahrain#strap
Doesn’t look good, a part of me hopes the FCO’s travel advice will change. Watching BBC News a report from Amnesty International criticises the decision to go, where as Bernie asks whether the GP not happening will create an environment for change in Bahrain. Not really the point I feel.
Joe, any thoughts on the Bahraini investment in Nicholas Todt’s ART GP team and how it could be influencing Jean? To me, this seems more of a conflict of interest than the investment in McLaren.
There is no question that this exists.
Here is an interesting little article regarding what the Bahrain GP is worth to all the F1 circus in terms of dollar value as/per broadcast exposure as well as money value to the teams. I guess you will have to take it for what it’s worth my friends, perhaps Joe may have time to read the article and give us his opinion on the figures listed. Here’s the link, hope it works:
http://paddocktalk.com/news/html/story-186804.html
Unreliable figures
What a contrast, a Turk politician doing the equivalent of a Peter Ustinov-like comic opera and on the other hand…….. quite a contrast in the FIA’s response.
Do you mind if I quote a few of your articles as long as
I provide credit and sources back to your website? My blog site is in the
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Many thanks!
No, sonogram as it is properly credited. A link would be nice.