Bahrain - What a rubbish place to start a Championship!

[GwilymJJames]

"Everything is fine, everything is fine, there are no problems in Bahrain, but we'll make sure all the teams have extra security when they go to Bahrain, where everything is fine, just in case everything [which is fine] is not fine [though it is]."

[shinji]

"Everything is fine, everything is fine, there are no problems in Bahrain, but we'll make sure all the teams have extra security when they go to Bahrain, where everything is fine, just in case everything [which is fine] is not fine [though it is]."

...

[Sublime_FA11C]

In an era of safe and indestructible cars, are the FIA trying to arrange a test against machinegun fire and RPG attacks? Or mines?

Could we expect a nonchallant news report next week like this: "Tough break for Hamilton as he picks up yet another grid penalty after replacing his gearbox again, this time due to damage from small arms fire. Plucky Brit unphased by penalty, says he enjoys come-from-behind victories."

[tristan1117]

Amnesty International Claims Bahrain Situation Has Not Improved

Which obviously means they don't think that the race is a good idea.

[East Londoner]

Oh Damon, you complete turncoat.

[superimu]

Can't help but notice the irony of the top qualifiers posing behind a 'FIA for safety' banner when they will be thrown in to a situation of questionable safety next week

[pablo_h]

Oh Damon, you complete turncoat.

Amnesty International Claims Bahrain Situation Has Not Improved

Which obviously means they don't think that the race is a good idea.

Wow, if Bernie assures the teams of their own personal safety, then the silent wealthy people should get the priviledge, because they have nothing to protest about as they know enough people in power and a rich enough so the laws don't apply to them anyway. Stuff anyone else which a justified grievance that may be put in danger to 'secure' the event, and hooray for the Saudi army that has come into Bahrain to get them to shut the hell up.

Then again the Bahrain people are used to Saudis coming into their country. But before it just used to be for booze and hookers, (not driving in with tanks to kill the people of a neighbouring country)
Hypocrites aren't rare, the rare factor is in that region hypocrites will kill others for what they also do and want.

Probably the fact that the place is run by hypocrites that are so selfish is the reason why some people in the F1 business get along so well with the middle eastern dictatorships I guess.

It's a shite race with shite people running it and removes any entertainment involved with watching F1. Shows the ugly side of the sport being about money. It ALWAYS is of course, but who wants their face rubbed in it and to be reminded of it? edit: Also deaths, it's been a bad thing about motor sports with drivers and spectators being killed in the past, why would they want to host a race in a country that may kill people that protest just because the F1 circus rolls into town and they think it may be their best opportunity to be heard? Shame!

[CoopsII]

Also, wasnt the Bahrain GP generally a bit of a snore-fest?

Is this how they intend to liven things up?

[AdrianSutil]

Also, wasnt the Bahrain GP generally a bit of a snore-fest?

Is this how they intend to liven things up?

Just hope it's not for all the wrong reasons it gets livened up. I honestly can't believe they're still going next weekend.

[GwilymJJames]

Everything's OK, no problems, what do you mean people in Bahrain don't want the grand prix?

[CoopsII]

Everything's OK, no problems, what do you mean people in Bahrain don't want the grand prix?

That image will be spun into "a celebratory BBQ which got out of hand"

[Wizzie]

Yes, you keep telling yourself that, Mr Race Organiser...

[nome66]

Everything's OK, no problems, what do you mean people in Bahrain don't want the grand prix?

holy crap they can not run this race!!

[dr-baker]

There is a guy in my uni halls flat from Saudi Arabia, we share the same kitchen. He is here for three months to improve his English, which is already pretty decent. He obviously understands Middle Eastern politics and history in the same way most of us know American and Western European politics and history. He acknowledges that there were bombs and troubles a week or so ago in Manama, but reckons most of the rest of the country is relatively safe. He seems to think that there should not be any problems for the GP. Let's hope he's right...

[Pamphlet]

There's a guy living in Bahrain answering questions and whatnot about the situation over there. Rrrrrrrrreddit link.

[shinji]

I had my French oral exam for the Leaving Cert earlier, and when I said I was an F1, the examiner asked me about the situation in Bahrain.

Il a eté trés difficile.

[Wizzie]

Well, Bernie doesn't think anything's wrong with Bahrain

[CoopsII]

He acknowledges that there were bombs and troubles a week or so ago in Manama, but reckons most of the rest of the country is relatively safe. He seems to think that there should not be any problems for the GP. Let's hope he's right...

I think he probably is. As I said earlier the situation in Bahrain is very different to Syria or how things were in Libya et al, they just dont have the manpower. Burning a few F1 advertising boards and then runnning off is about the maximum they can acheive. I think there will be some protesting, maybe even some more burning of F1 related things, but they wont be able to get near the track.

But that doesnt mean F1 is right to race this weekend, and a part of me hopes the protesters are successful and are able to disrupt the race not just for their own freedom but to show Bernie and the FIA that they arent immune from the real world.

[dr-baker]

There's a guy living in Bahrain answering questions and whatnot about the situation over there. Rrrrrrrrreddit link.

Well, that link seems to tally with what I was discussing with my flatmate yesterday evening. The F1 circus and media will therefore be as safe, or safer, in Bahrain as in Sau Paulo. But it still does not make it right or wrong that they are going.

[CoopsII]

But it still does not make it right or wrong that they are going.

Dont sit on the fence Dr!

[DanielPT]

Well, Bernie doesn't think anything's wrong with Bahrain

Bahrain activists vow "days of rage" for GP.

"Days or rage"? "You will race on the blood of martyrs"? Nope, nothings wrong with Bahrain.

[GwilymJJames]

The Bahraini for "we love and want nothing but F1" is "down F1", isn't it?

[Backmarker]

Super Porsche Super Cup Super Championship has pulled out of Bahrain because they don't think it's safe enough.

[dr-baker]

Super Porsche Super Cup Super Championship has pulled out of Bahrain because they don't think it's safe enough.

No, not quite. One of the Porsche Super Cup teams are not going to Bahrain. So far, the others will.

[Klon]

Clever strategy by those guys. Since they do not play a major role in the Supercup, they simply left out this race, not losing much in the potential final result of the championship, while appearing as a caring company.

[AdrianSutil]

Clever strategy by those guys. Since they do not play a major role in the Supercup, they simply left out this race, not losing much in the potential final result of the championship, while appearing as a caring company.

I suppose they won't get a penalty either? Especially as there's more than enough different teams, the race won't miss one entry.

[Backmarker]

Super Porsche Super Cup Super Championship has pulled out of Bahrain because they don't think it's safe enough.

No, not quite. One of the Porsche Super Cup teams are not going to Bahrain. So far, the others will.

Ah. I mistook MRS team principal Karsten Molitor for the man in charge of Supercup, so when he said "It is the first time in our team history that we have had to cancel a race of the Porsche MOBIL1 Supercup" I thought he meant the first time in the history of Supercup that a race had been cancelled. I don't think I'll bother following Supercup, so I might make similar mistakes again.

[CoopsII]

I don't think I'll bother following Supercup.

Who does?

[JJMonty]

Gentlemen... let the dispute re-ignite!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/17767985

http://en.espnf1.com/bahrain/motorsport ... 76220.html


Outside of the circuit, fair enough - but it would appear the surrounding areas are still causing a problem. It's only Thursday! What will the situation be like come the weekend?

[CoopsII]

Gentlemen... let the dispute re-ignite!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/17767985

Just read that, perhaps being 100% safe at the circuit is no good if its this dangerous en route....

[eurobrun]

Gentlemen... let the dispute re-ignite!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/17767985

Just read that, perhaps being 100% safe at the circuit is no good if its this dangerous en route....

Go Home Bahrain

[DanielPT]

Gentlemen... let the dispute re-ignite!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/17767985

Just read that, perhaps being 100% safe at the circuit is no good if its this dangerous en route....

Will they camp overnight in the circuit? Or transport people by choppers? Don't miss the next episode, because neither do we!

Bernie cooked a soap opera all right. It got us talking and very much any one else about F1. It is only a shame that he is playing with real lives...

[CoopsII]

Appaza Hulkenberg has questioned the wisdom of racing at Bahrain this year and this just highlights how daft this is. Reading different pieces its clear that many F1 folk have their concerns about this race but nobody seems prepared to be the one to speak out, perhaps they're worried about their image or something, either way they're in Bahrain now and this will play out how it plays out.

At the end of the day, some looney with a weapon and an agenda could cause trouble at ANY race this year but if it happens at this one the fall-out could be The F1 Event Of This Modern Era.

[pablo_h]

The people of Bahrain have been protesting for DEMOCRACY for over a year.
It's not been a small protest, it was massive and many killed to get that far, and it was only halted because the army from another country came in (saudi), and killed heaps more people.
How the hell would anyone else like it if they wanted democracy and almost succeeded, but a neighbouring country rolled in with tanks to stop it?

My point is this is not a small unpopular uprising, or a somewhat repressive regime which you could compare to other countries on the race calender. This was a country on the brink of revolution, and part of why it didn't succeed is the F1 race being there in the first place, making the rulers want to crack down on protesters, and other countries in the region invading, again, maybe to put on a show for bernie to say everything is under control. A country got invaded and people killed possibly, just to help F1 be convinced that all is good!
All for what is a crap boring race anyway.
Edit: Yes making good for F1 is not the only reason people have died or the country was invaded, but the media sure liked to put on a good story about that. F1 there has some blood on it's hands for the past events regardless, poor form to ever go back and I'm not going to miss the race, boring anyway. But I have no effect or ratings and I mainly lurk here so I will not be missed and I don't care what others do.

[Alianora La Canta]

Has anyone brought up the "UniF1ed" ad campaign yet? (I'm struggling to keep track of what's been discussed where this week, for reasons explained below).

The organisers of the Bahrain Grand Prix did an ad campaign linking F1 with the unification of their country. Long story short (my blog has the long version): they broke Article 1 of the FIA Statutes in the process, as interpreted the way the FIA used to take Jerez's race from it in 1997 and fined Turkey in 2006. I persuaded a journalist to ask about the matter, and the unofficial response went along the lines of "sound concept, no time to sort it out (check comments)".

This is not some minor regulation. It's a requirement of French-registered organisations to have a clause like Article 1, and the FIA is registered in France. Therefore it would not be much of a stretch to imagine someone bringing the FIA to court if they thought they could gain something from it. Since the maximum penalty is dissolution...

I could say that continuing to force the race after the safety guarantee was compromised (as demonstrated in the Force India hire car incident) breaches Article 17 of the International Sporting Code, which effectively means this is no longer an internation race and, technically speaking, no points or benefits can be derived from it (or F1 cars used). However, I think you get my point that the FIA is so busy pushing the race on the unwilling that it's putting itself in considerable danger.

[Wizzie]

Has anyone brought up the "UniF1ed" ad campaign yet? (I'm struggling to keep track of what's been discussed where this week, for reasons explained below).

The organisers of the Bahrain Grand Prix did an ad campaign linking F1 with the unification of their country. Long story short (my blog has the long version): they broke Article 1 of the FIA Statutes in the process, as interpreted the way the FIA used to take Jerez's race from it in 1997 and fined Turkey in 2006. I persuaded a journalist to ask about the matter, and the unofficial response went along the lines of "sound concept, no time to sort it out (check comments)".

This is not some minor regulation. It's a requirement of French-registered organisations to have a clause like Article 1, and the FIA is registered in France. Therefore it would not be much of a stretch to imagine someone bringing the FIA to court if they thought they could gain something from it. Since the maximum penalty is dissolution...

I could say that continuing to force the race after the safety guarantee was compromised (as demonstrated in the Force India hire car incident) breaches Article 17 of the International Sporting Code, which effectively means this is no longer an internation race and, technically speaking, no points or benefits can be derived from it (or F1 cars used). However, I think you get my point that the FIA is so busy pushing the race on the unwilling that it's putting itself in considerable danger.

Someone get Autosport on the line, I think you're onto something.

[nome66]

Has anyone brought up the "UniF1ed" ad campaign yet? (I'm struggling to keep track of what's been discussed where this week, for reasons explained below).

The organisers of the Bahrain Grand Prix did an ad campaign linking F1 with the unification of their country. Long story short (my blog has the long version): they broke Article 1 of the FIA Statutes in the process, as interpreted the way the FIA used to take Jerez's race from it in 1997 and fined Turkey in 2006. I persuaded a journalist to ask about the matter, and the unofficial response went along the lines of "sound concept, no time to sort it out (check comments)".

This is not some minor regulation. It's a requirement of French-registered organisations to have a clause like Article 1, and the FIA is registered in France. Therefore it would not be much of a stretch to imagine someone bringing the FIA to court if they thought they could gain something from it. Since the maximum penalty is dissolution...

I could say that continuing to force the race after the safety guarantee was compromised (as demonstrated in the Force India hire car incident) breaches Article 17 of the International Sporting Code, which effectively means this is no longer an internation race and, technically speaking, no points or benefits can be derived from it (or F1 cars used). However, I think you get my point that the FIA is so busy pushing the race on the unwilling that it's putting itself in considerable danger.

some one email this to the FIA. please.

[Klon]

This is not some minor regulation. It's a requirement of French-registered organisations to have a clause like Article 1, and the FIA is registered in France. Therefore it would not be much of a stretch to imagine someone bringing the FIA to court if they thought they could gain something from it. Since the maximum penalty is dissolution...

And that court wouldn't do jack because if that dissolution would happen, the FIA would pack all their stuff and drive 260 km eastwards and settle down in Couvin. The French gouvernment will most certainly not risk the tax Euros that the FIA is likely to provide.

[Wizzie]

This is not some minor regulation. It's a requirement of French-registered organisations to have a clause like Article 1, and the FIA is registered in France. Therefore it would not be much of a stretch to imagine someone bringing the FIA to court if they thought they could gain something from it. Since the maximum penalty is dissolution...

And that court wouldn't do jack because if that dissolution would happen, the FIA would pack all their stuff and drive 260 km eastwards and settle down in Couvin. The French gouvernment will most certainly not risk the tax Euros that the FIA is likely to provide.

Nah, considering the stuff Bernie's pulled off over the year, I'm certain he's somehow managed to reduce the FIA's tax bill to about 5 euros

[Klon]

Nah, considering the stuff Bernie's pulled off over the year, I'm certain he's somehow managed to reduce the FIA's tax bill to about 5 euros

He doesn't profit from it, so ... naaaaaah!