Bahrain GP protestor concerns

The sad truth is that the F1 circus has become such an unwieldy mockery of itself that it seems grossly out of place anywhere in the world that it goes, except for maybe Monaco, which is as insulated as you can get.

 

Getting real bad; the royal family has ordered the army to turn against the people. Expect much bloodshed
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/bahrain/8334771/Bahrain-royal-family-orders-army-to-turn-on-the-people.html

 

Perhaps someone has asked - would it be possible to race in Spain?

Perhaps it's too late to schedule a replacement race at the beginning of the season. I can't believe Bernie will accept (or the sponsors for that matter) the loss of a race.

 

They're going to Hockenheim this year right? So why not use the Nurburgring track?

 

Looks like Bahrain probably isn't gonna happen. No great loss, it's a **** track and we have too many Middle eastern races as it is anyway. I say, hold it at the track that can be ready the fastest. it doesn't really matter where.

 

Classic Bernie...

He certainly has his own sense of reality.

http://www.en.espnf1.com/bahrain/motorsport/story/41200.html

 

the same afternoon:

Bahrain could be cancelled:
http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/252915/bahrain-gp-could-be-cancelled-ecclestone-warns/

"It's quiet, no problems."
http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/252949/ecclestone-now-more-hopeful-about-bahrain/

 

While everybody is busy beating up on Bernie, people seem to forget that each GP not only makes Bernie richer, but is a handsome payback to the teams: Remember they have for the most part fixed costs (not accounting for travel and parts to be replaced) so every additional GP is more $$$ into the golden pot, which eventually gets distributed at the end of the year. While teams moan about the additional workload of an additional GP, they don't really mention that they love the additional cashflow coming in.

Bernie is therefore keeping the teams' interest in mind by not just caving in to the pressure but by playing for time. There is a good chance this will blow over/the regime will crush the opposition and "peace will reign" in Bahrain by hook or crook. And then financially it would be a terrible waste not to have the race.

Whether any of this is ethical is a different question and one that gets asked rarely in F1.

BTW: Lauda who got a lot of hatred in the Kubica thread chimed in with the PC folks in demanding that F1 does not go to Bahrain. Nobody mentioned that here so far....

 

I politely disagree; Bernie's interest are only for himself & cvc. The $$ he saves from not paying the teams is to his benefit.......I can guarantee you the teams don't want to go there.....

 

I doubt it. This race is not well frequented by the locals (nor tourists) and probably lives only off of state subsidy.

It is a prestige object for the government and that's why they'll try to stick to it.

Call me a cynic (no offense taken) but I'm pretty sure this government is different from Egypt's one: They will crush the opposition.

It all depends on where the Military is going and I'm pretty sure the government is in control of them (unlike in Egypt, where the Military caved in).

Not taking sides here, just saying.

That said, the sponsors of F1 might exert pressure on Bernie saying they want nothing to do with this and ask him to cancel the race anyway. Which is what probably will happen.

 

Stop thinking of a replacement, it'll never happen, way too late to organize a
proper GP.

 

Yup. It simply will get cancelled (or not).

 

I have to totally disagree.

The teams get a portion of the revenue... but bear all the costs of doing the race. The majority of their money comes from the sponsors, not from Bernie. I would imagine losing a race will save them a whole bunch of money - much more than any deficit they would realize from reduced money from FOM for a single race.

If each race was a money making venture, they would not be so opposed to going over 17 races (or so).

 

As for the GP, it's done - over - finito.

The world will not take kindly (nor should they) to the minority rules of Bahrain slaughtering innocent people wantonly to cling to power.

Cracking down on the protesters will only serve to fan the flames.

The Bahrain GP is dead as a dodo.

 

Most likely yea...bummer, we gotta wait until end of March for the race then. At least the FIA should allow more testing in between. But then again, who actually watches testing?

 

Yeah, I don't see the insurance companies taking the risk allowing all the teams and peripherals walking into a situation like that, and I doubt its the kind of environment the sponsors want to gain exposure in.

...Unless the Royals make an about face, apologize and give in to all the protestors demands and try to put on a good face by holding the GP to show the world everything is back in balance.

 

Most of the comments about the problems surrounding the Bahrain GP seem to deal with the economic and entertainment loss for us if the season starts late. Remenber there are unarmed protestors dying in the streets,shot by the security forces.The only proper response is to cancel the GP as a protest against the actions of a despotic government.Like most countries in that region,the civilization is only a veneer,and if one judges how out of touch the royal family is with their population,you only have to listen to the Aljazeera interview with their clown prince.

 

The Crown Prince of Bahrain, who has taken over negotiation following the failure of his father King Hamad’s repressive military action, has order the army to leave Manama.

Control will now be handed back to the police. The opposition is continuing to say that it will not negotiate with the government until there are guarantees that protesters will not be attacked again.

From JS Blog.

 

HERE WE GO:

As per the Associated Press this morning (February 19, 2011):

********

[regarding protesters retruning to Pearl Square]

Some wore white sheets symbolizing their readiness for martyrdom, while others carried Bahraini flags, flowers and signs that said "Peaceful."

"We are victorious!" they chanted as they marched back into the square that has been the headquarters for their revolt against the Sunni monarchy in the predominantly Shiite island nation."


They also chanted: "The people want the removal of the regime."

. . . .

Hassan Youssef, 33, called the crown prince's speech "hypocritical and self-serving."

"He is afraid for his Formula One contract and thinks by just telling us to calm down we will listen," Youssef said. "We want the entire royal family to step aside. We don't want to dialogue. They will most definitely attack us again, but let them - we are ready for our blood to spill again."

Throngs of anti-government protesters took over the square earlier in the week, setting up a camp with tents and placards, but they were driven out by riot police in a deadly assault Thursday that killed five people and injured more than 200. The government then clamped down on Manama by sending the tanks and other armored vehicles into the streets around the square, putting up barbed wire and establishing checkpoints to deter gatherings.

On Friday, army units opened fire on marchers streaming toward the square. More than 50 people were injured in the second consecutive day of clashes.

Protesters who tried to march to the square Friday described a chaotic scene of tear gas clouds, bullets coming from many directions and people slipping in pools of blood as they sought cover. Some claimed the gunfire came from either helicopters or sniper nests.

The clash came hours after funeral mourners and worshippers at Friday prayers called for the toppling of the Western-allied monarchy. Some members of Bahrain's Sunni ruling system worry that Shiite powerhouse Iran could use Bahrain's majority Shiites as a further foothold in the region.



*******

Isn't it just great to read that "Some wore white sheets symbolizing their READINESS FOR MARTYRDOM"? Boy, I'd sure like to be sitting in the stands watching an F1 race, especially with Iran tuned in too.

 

Sounds like there is no GP: They are indeed targeting the GP and use it as a tool in their process.

 

Andrew:

While I firmly agree with your sentiments that the race should be canceled (and the reasons that you have given for doing so), the comments in this thread reflect the normal FCHAT banter. Complaining, baitching (spelled that way because of FCHAT's new and improved automatic robotic "no fouling words" editor), making snide comments, and acting as agents provocateurs (yes, that is the correct plural form) are all part and parcel of the FCHAT realm, and thank God (JESUS CHRIST, shouldn't that have been robotically edited too since God/Jesus can be swear words too?) for that.

That being said, despite the slagging going on, I firmly believe that no one here is ignoring the facts that blood has been, and is being, shed, and that people are being killed in Bahrain, or that no one cares about the deaths of innocents. But, would anyone really expect EVERY posting, on FCHAT of all places, to start or end with a soliloquy, canticle, or prayer?

 

I think the people will do anything to interrupt the cash flow the Royal families receive. Now that blood-shed has occurred (camp raids, government firing into crowds, beatings, etc.) the country has become increasingly volatile...and with volatility it can swing either way in an abrupt manner. So, if they hold practice in the beginning of March and violence is seized (as well as any planned retaliation from the people), then we can expect a race. but if the situation remains unstable then we could check remove Bahrain's race off the list.

I agree, a replacement race seems to short of a notice at this point. I am sure through back channels (or seems so from our point of view...media) there is much animosity (towards government/situational) from the event in Egypt spilling over into Bahrain's.

To reconcile a race with only weeks away from the start; will lead to the obvious financial blunders as well as much discomfort for the sporting fans (displaced super bowl fans come to mind in this thought).

 

Nicely put.

In addition to that, this is the F1 section of FChat. Of course we focus in here on the ramifications this political upheavel has on F1 racing. In fact we should focus solely on the impact this has on F1 because otherwise this thread no longer belongs in this forum but into P&R.

As it is, there are several posts in this thread already which are very political in nature and borderline fit for the F1 forum.