I know that some of you want some news about F1, but right now, there is a very large elephant sitting in the F1 room, which answers to the name Bahrain. That is the only story and until we get through this weekend, will remain the only issue. What is most important, from a sporting point of view, is the effect that the events around the race have on the image of Formula 1 and that is what I have been monitoring with newspaper headlines from around the world. Inevitably the choice is subjective, but I think they represent the general consensus.
Blood and money splits F1 in Bahrain – New Straits Times (Singapore)
Approval of 2012 Grand Prix in Bahrain outrages human rights advocates – Washington Times (USA)
“This House believes that the Formula One race will be used by the Bahrain government as an endorsement of its policies of suppression of dissent” – Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn early day motion in the UK Parliament
“Should the Bahrain Grand Prix go ahead the sport and its associates run the risk of looking greedy and out of touch with the reality of the situation. We are most alarmed that you see no grounds to sever your brand and save its reputation from a totalitarian regime” – letter from British MPs to F1 sponsors.
Formel 1 in Bahrein: Der Schein trügt – ORF (Austria)
Le maintien du Grand Prix de Formule 1 exacerbe les tensions à Bahreïn – Le Monde (France)
Motorsport and politics on collision course in Bahrain – Deutsche Welle (Germany)
La Fórmula 1 llega a Bahréin en medio de protestas – Terra Perú
Grand Prix von Bahrein „Dieses Rennen ist eine Schande“ – Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (Germany)
BIC gets down to racing business – Gulf Daily News (UAE)
Inquietud por la seguridad en el GP de Bahrein – La Nueva España (Spain)
Bahrain circuit boss: Race not a big risk – CNN (International)
Bahrein – La formule 1 pour masquer les tensions – Courrier International (France)
Manifestaciones en Bahrein contra la carrera de Fórmula 1 – El Golfo (Venezuela)
Bahreïn: l’opposition manifeste à l’approche du Grand Prix de Formule 1 – Nouvelle Observateur (France)
Formula One race protest gets violent in Bahrain – CBS News (USA)
Demonstrations Planned as Racing Event Heads for Bahrain – Voice of America
Wave of arrests ahead of Bahrain Grand Prix: NGO – Pakistan Daily Times
World Cup hero Yuvraj to attend F1 Grand Prix – Gulf Daily News (UAE)
Bahrain GP far from business as usual – TVNZ (New Zealand)
F1 braces for ‘days of rage’ – Deccan Herald (India)
Parc Ferme: The risks of Bahrain – Fox Sports (USA)
Let’s say Bernie Ecclestone and a Bahraini official are conducting a business deal. As they shake hands on their transaction, the official uses his other arm to punch a passerby in the face. Mr Ecclestone continues to shake and the deal is done. Is he complicit in the violence? – The Independent
Bahrain crown prince confronted by protesters – San Francisco Chronicle (USA)
F1 puts Bahrain brutality in focus – The Australian
‘Nobody will harm the F1 teams’ – The National (UAE)
Opposition leader brands Bahrain Grand Prix ‘PR stunt’ – Sportinglife.com (UK)
BIC all geared up for weekend-long Formula One spectacle – Bahrain News Agency
Amnesty questions Bahrain reforms as F1 concerns deepen – Agence France Presse (France)
‘F1 race a failure for the Al Khalifa regime’ – Press TV (Iran)
As Protests Continue to Flare, Should Formula One Be Returning to Bahrain? – Time, USA
Bahrain GP chief assures ‘nothing drastic will happen’ – Indian Express
joeblogsf1 
Well, we all know that Bahrain much like Dubai wasn’t intended for the average person. It was solely designed for the country’s rich, the tourist and everyone else with a dollar to spare.
If it was intended for the average person then the government would listen to its own people, would take necessary measures to quell any domestic unrest and so on and so forth. But the fact remains sadly that the Bahrain GP is a major source of revenue – something which the government won’t just pass up on.
Sad, but that is the world we live in.
Any truth to the rumor that a car full of Force India employees had a Molotov cocktail thrown at them?
As always, stay safe. We’re glued to your blog!
Stay safe Joe; where I am have seen headlines today on-line and in publications that would normally never even rate an F1 mention.
Hi Joe I’m curious about your obession (for want of a better word) with this issue? It appears to be the dominant theme of your reporting so far in 2012.
I’m not a fan of the Bahrain GP and wouldn’t miss it one bit if it vanished, but I’ll still watch it because I’m an f1 tragic – In the same way that you will go and report on it, and in the same way that the teams will go and race where there is a race.
I’m not a big fan of dodgy authoritarian governments either, but I don’t feel that it’s my place to promote change on political and social issues there, much like I don’t feel it’s Americas place to bring “democracy” to the various parts of the world that they’ve bombed and invaded for the last 70 years or so. Frankly what you say, what I say, or what F1 says, wont have any impact on the situation.
I agree with you in principle that f1 shouldn’t go there, but the decision has been made by the people who make decisions, and the people who will have to live with their mistakes IF a significant event occurs.
So lets hope for a good race. Lets hope nobody inside or outside the venue is hurt. And lets hope their crappy government sees the need for reform.
Just because your voice is ignored does not mean that you should not shout.
Stay safe, Joe. Looking forward to your first hand observations on the situation.
Chances are nothing will happen because they’ve put the military on full alert and shoot to kill.
However , it is nice to see the rest of the world waking up to this even if it is too late!
Live ammunition has been authorised for the weekend. Certainly sends a message.
And not a single witty pun amongst them, disappointing.
On the most basic level no organized event would wander into this mess and potential minefield. Since F1 get’s deeper & deeper into bed with the deep pocketed elite world wide, I’m guessing but I think Bernie primarily is rewarded buy the idea he has built out F1 globally better than any one could have and reaping the financial rewards is welcome but maybe secondary. Anyone at that stage of life likely gets more reward from accomplishment rather than cash they really don’t need more of.
THE REALLY INTERESTING QUESTION IS : will this potential gamble backfire on Bernie as is a good possibility or will he emerge prophetic and insightful, Now is the time to commit to a prediction not after the fact and for some strange reason I think Bernie will come out looking Golden as it’s not a fair or sensible world in my estimation.
As a fan I do despise the idea that my sport is being used as a tool to whitewash the obviously existing deep rooted societal problems and may actually make life more difficult for those looking for fairness & equality as the perception maybe that all is well post F1 GP.
It’s BAD when the PRIVATE $$$$, Pounds Etc. are too close, it’s just not SPORTING!!!!!!!
I read yesterday’s report from the Guardian reporter and it called my attention the fact of one of the main young oppositors clearly states they are not against F1 (in fact some are declared fans) but against the use of it the government is doing – what of course has been pointed in this blog since long.
also impressed me the young man said the use of molotovs is very recent, it seemed he do not approve the use of it but then government attitudes led to that happening.
and that leads me to think of foreign radicals attempting to increase the mess and try to cause some important trouble, (as suggested by a reader a couple of posts below) for example a provoked tragedy with the public going to the race.
Joe, I suppose it’s a duty to the local race organizers to provide real efficient security to journalists going to and from circuit in that situation, and guarantee they can work safe. hope they do and that you and everybody else working in the circuit this weekend gets safe thru that time.
Things in Bahrain are bad, that much everyone accepts. I do not understand the portion of attention this gets though: in Russia people are killed, put in prison, extorted etc, everyone will agree there is no real democracy either and we have plenty of material on corrupt law enforment and legal systems. Would anyone object racing in Moscow? And is China a role model for Human Rights?
“Let’s say Bernie Ecclestone and a Bahraini official are conducting a business deal. As they shake hands on their transaction, the official uses his other arm to punch a passerby in the face. Mr Ecclestone continues to shake and the deal is done. Is he complicit in the violence? – The Independent”
Well no, Bernie isn’t as he is taking money away from the Bahraini people and thus removing their ability to punch more people in the face. You could say he’s helping the Bahraini people by publicising the punches in the face if they managed to get televised.
Oh but isn’t F1 generating wealth in the region? Perhaps it is although not to the same extent or ROI expected in more democratic circumstances.
With all the media buzz, the human rights groups, the FIA approval and fact finding investigation outcome info we’re not privy to know, I watch the events unfold with great interest.
astonishing considering the place is smaller than the Ilse of Wight!
Joe, some people may want to hear nothing except for DRS holes and new venues and Lotus and whatever other stories are around, and normally I’m good with that too. Right now I’m not interested in any of that. It all seems so small in comparison. The important thing now is to show what’s really going on in Bahrain and what the wider world thinks about it, whatever that is. Hopefully it isn’t much and things will be fine.. but that’s not what I’ve read from independent journalists since they arrived yesterday.
I don’t understand those few people whining they’ve heard enough about it already.
I’m sick of hearing about it on here as it is obvious Joe has picked a side in this debate and is trying to portray F1 as being on the other.
I’m sorry but i find it hard to feel sorry for people who are using home made bombs and molotov cocktails to get their point across. No matter what the cause, an eye for an eye is no way to a peaceful settlement and can’t understand a media that supports it. It’s a bit like the world media coming out in support of the IRA.
The simple fact is that for the past 2 years the only time the world press has really given 2 hoots about what is happening in Bahrain has been the lead up to the 2 F1 races. If the FIA hadn’t put the race on the calendar this year no-one would have much of a clue about what is/isn’t happening there.
The opposition should be embracing people coming to Bahrain and make an effort to get their message across in a peaceful and unified way while the media is there. Hell i’d fuully support them having a sit down protest on the track delaying the start for hours. Whatever they do they need to be a bit more clever about their approach because in a weeks time Bahrain will be at best forgotten again and the worlds attention will move back to Syria. At worst foreign visitors will get injured or killed and all support for their cause will disappear.
Sorry Joe I know this in opposition to your thinking and I accept this is your blog, but this is my view.
Martin,
This is not true. I have not picked a side. What I am saying and have been saying all along is that F1 should not be here. I have never said that there was more than a minority of people causing violence, but the authorities have consistently used violence too and it seems that they have used more this afternoon, if you read the latest reports. The number of people causing trouble of this kind and the side they represent is not the issue. It seems to me that the opposition is embracing visitors, as is the government. They are trying to both convince us that they are right. The problem is that the two sides keep clashing. F1 should not be here in this environment, but I am not siding with anyone. I am looking and learning.
Well said Pat!
Well said Pat.
And what has any of that got to do with Joe ?
Joe,could you possibly post translations of the non-english headlines for those of us who don’t speak French/German/Spanish? Thanks.
http://translate.google.com is your friend. 🙂
Interesting to see that the more ‘corporate’ media outlets and bloggers linked more directly to larger media organisations are rather quiet on the Bahrain issues.
Hi Joe, I’ve only discovered your blog recently, but so far i like it. i have to say i’m glad you’re writing about these issues.
The one thing thats been annoying me this past week or so is how you only seem to hear people talking about whether its safe for the teams to go. (I saw Jenson state that it is this morning) Surely there is a bigger issue here as you have pointed out and the teams and the FIA are complicit in what is turning out to be a quite ugly episode for the sport.
Who are the bad guys? Both sides are doing things wrong, but that is what happens in this kind of conflict. Am I the right person to judge that? I am simply saying that F1 should not be here.
It is very sad for the Bahrainis and their government that the political situation in their country cannot be resolved without further bloodshed and antagonism.
F1 and its followers are just onlookers in a long drawn-out process that will end in tears for all concerned. I just hope and pray that everyone will come through this weekend without incident, although I feel that there is an inevitability about all this that makes it look like a slow-motion train crash.
There should have been some leadership (and spine) shown by the F1 industry and the race kept off the calendar until ‘normal’ life had returned to the country, The politics are not for me to comment on, I fear that there are many other influences behind the scenes that I am not aware of.
Easy for us to sit and home and watch/read the reports and form our own opinions, but it is getting really dangerous for westerners there now, hopefully we will see a safe weekend for everyone.
Force India caught up in firebomb attack in Bahrain
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/17767985?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
It needs a driver to stand up and be counted now. Someone who is prepared to lead in something more important than a motor race.
There must be one Spartacus out there somewhere? Mr. Schumacher, do you fancy the role? Do your German fans and Mercedes want to be associated with this situation? Mr. Hamilton, have you any idea of what it might be like to be discriminated against?
Somebody, please show some guts.
In the nicest possible way, not holding the GP this weekend would achieve nothing. Everything we have learned – or, at least, I thought we had learned – over the years has told us that isolating regimes and ignoring them achieves absolutely nothing.
In my opinion, the best that can come from this will be to demonstrate to Bahrain – and the world – how a civilised, professional sport delivers a tremendous event organised by people who come from parts of the world where rights and freedoms are somewhat more protected than they are in Bahrain (and, yes, I use the term ‘somewhat’ deliberately – although the British government may not right now be oppressive, our legal protections are, to be honest, almost as scant as those of the Bahraini people).
If you, and your journalistic bretheren, can highlight to the world what is happening on the ground, using the international platform which is by and large denied to those local journalists working in-country, then I believe you will have delivered something valuable.
Right now, all you seem to me to be doing is wallowing in a sense of the sport’s own self-importance. Of course other people will seek to politicise this, and to sway the sport’s decision-making to their own ends. But you appear to be feeding the troll rather than achieving anything useful – pretty soon, the world will stop listening to the moaning, and the opportunity to cast a spotlight onto what is really happening on the ground in Bahrain will have been squandered.
And you sit at home postulating and being rude. That helps to solve problems, doesn’t it?
My apologies; I wasn’t trying to be rude. I’m sorry that I wrote in haste and achieved that result when, with a little more consideration, I could have avoided it.
I do maintain, however, that the story has become about F1 going to Bahrain, and not about the situation in Bahrain. With so much of the world’s media in, or looking at, Bahrain this weekend, am I alone in believing that the opportunity exists to make serious points about the country?
I’d also observe that the throwing of molotovs and the like is nothing that wasn’t done in Northern Ireland in my youth. We didn’t cancel major sporting events there. In fact, we all went out of our way to ensure that ‘life goes on’.
Deafening silence apparently from China, Russia and even Monaco?
I sincerely hope everything runs smoothly this weekend – I have friends in the F1 circus who are there right now, and so far reporting “no issues” – but I have a great sense of unease about this whole thing. If anything should happen to anyone as a result of political action against this race being run, the repercussions will run so deep it will be an absolute disaster for F1.
Bernie says whether the race runs or not, the problems in the country won’t be any different. Quite right, but that’s like me finding out my neighbour beats his partner up. Whether I associate with him or not, he’ll still carry on beating her – but would I want to associate myself with him? I think not.
Whatever happens, stay safe Joe.
Joe,
Just read the following, can you shed any light on this?
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/19042012/58/force-india-member-leaves-bahrain-fire-bombing.html
I Hope you all stay safe out there!
It’s already “not fine” – Force India team members have apparently been caught up in a firebomb incident, though thankfully no-one was hurt. Maybe Mallya will grow a pair and withdraw his team, he would certainly greatly enhance his public image if he did.
To expand upon my previous reply, why is Bahrain such an issue in comparison to other events?
We’ve been to India, a place where political corruption is so rife that it makes a mockery of most semblances of democracy, and where hunger and poverty are so rife as to embarrass most people of normal sensibilities. We don’t talk about that, or about how the Indian ‘regime’ is spending its money on missile development rather than pushing through infrastructure to promote civilised society. Why is that?
We’ve been to Abu Dhabi, where gay rights are non-existent, much of the workforce is unprotected, unfranchised, transient migrant labour, where the likes of Human Rights Watch continue to campaign for improvements.
We’ve been to China, somewhere where forced abortion, forced labour, and all manner of atrocities and oppression are widespread, where freedom of expression is an ambition that dare not speak its name, and where the families of ‘enemies of the state’ are still charged for the bullets used by the firing squad to silence them. We don’t talk about that, though, do we?
In Bahrain, unlike China, there is semi-organised opposition to the regime. Unrest on the streets is actually achieving something – I applaud it, and think we should do all we can to keep it visible. In that, Bahrain is leagues ahead of China, where the machinery of the state is much better at keeping things dampened-down.
To be honest, the only difference is that Bahrain has some violence on the ground right now, which means there is a discussion about individual security; this has very little to do with actually using F1’s presence / absence as a force for change in Bahrain.
I suppose that having all the international press in Bahrain highlighting any protests and showing what is going on in the country can only be good for the protesters cause and that is a positive side to the race. I dont think that F1 will receive much positive press for that though. If the authorities have to clamp down hard to quell protests F1 will not look that clever. But the media reporting on it will probably do wonders for the cause.
Be careful anyway Joe.
I like http://www.infowars.com for my political commentary…
The Bahrain Grand Prix has just been disncussed on BBC’s question time in the UK, and for anyone with access to that programme it’s roughly the final 8 minutes.
The consensus was that the drivers should not race, the sponsors should not sponsor and the whole thing should be called off. South African apartheid was mentioned.
For anyone who wants to know, this issue came up on BBC Question Time just now, at roughly 8 mins before th end of the programme.
The consensus was that the race should not be run, and that drivers, sponsor and teams are racing on a blood-soaked track.