Category: News

Tom Cary from the UK’s newspaper The Telegraph has kept a diary of his week so far in Bahrain.

He landed on the troubled island on Tuesday: “Tear gas and Molotov cocktails are exchanged. I file my report from the rooftop of a ‘safe house’ as explosions ring out below.”

Wednesday: “Head to another protest in the old souk in Manama, which is significant because we had been told by Bahrain’s authorities that protests do not take place in town.”

Thursday: “Arrive at an extremely edgy paddock where everyone is digesting overnight news that a Force India hire car carrying four mechanics was caught in a clash between rioters and police.”

Friday: “Force India announce they will miss FP2 in order to get back to their hotel in daylight; a brave move considering Bernie Ecclestone’s likely irritation at the message that will send out.”

Saturday: “And the news the sport was dreading is confirmed mid-morning. A protester has been killed, activists claim.

“Qualifying is almost an irrelevance. With the funeral of the protester planned for Sunday, and tensions high, it is hard to know how the weekend will end.”

Follow the source link below for Cary’s full article.

[Source: The Telegraph | Pic: Reuters]

No doubt you’re now well versed on the troubles in Bahrain and the fact thousands of protesters are taking to the streets to promote their cause to the watching global audience.

Happily, on two fronts, we can report that the protests so far this week seem to have been peaceful in their nature and the F1 circus appears to have arrived without major interruption. According to a recent tweet from Paul Hembrey of Pirelli, “all arrived in Bahrain. No different to previous visits. Kind lovely people looks normal.” Although he also adds, “Clearly different story outside in villages.”

We decided we’d do a quick search for recent images showing what the protesters have been up to in recent days. They help to capture the mood at street level ahead of this weekend’s race.

We hope things remain peaceful, although speaking to the Telegraph, Jasim Husain, a former Bahraini politician, warns, “There is this fear, the fear is there that we could see some casualties.”

There are also concerns the imminent death of imprisoned human rights activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, now in the third month of a hunger strike, will see protesters react with greater force.

Tom Cary, covering the build up for the Telegraph, delivers this quote from a local taxi driver: “I have two emotions. One is that I am proud to have such a big event in Bahrain. But the other part of me feels shame. You will be welcome here because you are guests in my country but you will be racing over blood this weekend.”

[Pics: Telegraph, Sportsnet, twitter, AFP]

The 2012 Bahrain Grand Prix will go ahead, say the FIA, after meeting with all 12 teams in Shanghai this afternoon.

In a press statement the Formula One’s governing body said: “The FIA must make rational decisions based on the information provided to us by the Bahraini authorities and by the Commercial Rights Holder. In addition we have endeavoured to assess the ongoing situation in Bahrain.”

According to the FIA they have been seeking information from a number of sources: “Away from the public eye, the FIA has received regular security briefings from the most senior diplomatic officials based in the Kingdom as well as from other independent experts.”

The statement continues: “Based on the current information the FIA has at this stage, it is satisfied that all the proper security measures are in place for the running of a Formula One World Championship event in Bahrain.

“Therefore, the FIA confirms that the 2012 Gulf Air F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain will go ahead as scheduled.”

Fingers crossed.

An unnamed F1 team principal has said the teams don’t want to race in Bahrain later this month. The Bahrain Grand Prix is scheduled for 22 April, the weekend after the Chinese GP.

The unidentified team boss told The Guardian: “I feel very uncomfortable about going to Bahrain. If I’m brutally frank, the only way they can pull this race off without incident is to have a complete military lockdown there. And I think that would be unacceptable, both for F1 and for Bahrain. But I don’t see any other way they can do it.”

To this point the teams had, at least publicly, supported the FIA and its decision to race in the troubled Gulf state. But with new reports of more violence, which left seven Bahraini policeman injured, three seriously, the time has come for those inside F1 to share their thoughts.

If nothing else you’d think someone had the guts to condemn Bernie Ecclestone who described the attack on authorities as, “a lot of kids having a go at the police. I don’t think it’s anything serious at all.”

Our anonymous team principal added: “We’re all hoping the FIA calls it off. From a purely legal point of view, in terms of insurance and government advice, we are clear to go.

“But what we find worrying is that there are issues happening every day.

“We have a lot of people. Our first and foremost priority has to be our employees. And their families.

“That’s what concerns us most, even though we’ve not said anything about it. It seems to me that while there has been some political progress in Bahrain they’re not quite ready. The best thing would be for the race to be postponed until later in the year, or even cancelled.”

You know what, it’s great that one team principal has spoken out. But it would be even greater if that person agreed to be identified. If he truly stands by the damning comments made to The Guardian he should be willing to take the lead and own those opinions.

He claims his views are shared by the other teams. Is the wrath of Bernie Ecclestone so great that concerns for the welfare of others must be so callously put to one side in fear of commercial recrimination (if that’s what it is)?

Perhaps behind the insular walls of the F1 paddock the identity of this team principal is known. But, whoever you are, stand up. Put your name to your comments. The time for silence has passed.

[Source: The Guardian | Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]

Sadly we bring news of more trouble in Bahrain, less than three weeks from its scheduled return to the Formula One calendar. UK newspaper The Telegraph reports of a youth being killed by Bahraini police after being shot in the leg while protesting in the Shia village of Salmabad.

While ESPN F1 says the fatal shot was fired from a civilian vehicle following closely behind police.

The victim’s family are refusing to sign the 22-year-old’s death certificate as they dispute the official cause of death, which does not list the shooting.

“We will receive his body when they change the report. The police have pressured us to take him, but we said no,” the victim’s sister claimed.

A video statement posted online says: “We (object to) holding a sports race that belittles the sacrifices of our children and ignores our suffering and wounds.

“Do not tarnish the reputation of the respected auto sport with the blood of Bahrain victims.”

Protestors continue to communicate their views to the world via twitter using #BloodyF1 and #NoF1 hashtags.

It’s understood an increased security campaign is being mounted by race officials to protect the Bahrain International Circuit and hotels accommodating F1 teams free from protesters.

Protesters are promising to disrupt the race any way they can and will target the circuit and central Manama to voice their concerns.

[Source: The Telegraph & ESPN F1 | Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]

Yesterday, Bernie Ecclestone and Team Principals from leading F1 teams attended the media launch for the 2012 Bahrain Grand Prix, scheduled for 22 April. It was a strong show of support for the troubled event.

This morning, the above image was sent to AUSmotive via twitter. Clearly some people don’t want F1 in Bahrain. In January we reported on calls to boycott the 2012 race and civil unrest continues in the Gulf state. It’s reported that 33 deaths have occurred since June last year.

However, Ecclestone has dismissed concerns over the race’s future. “People say to me ‘Oh there’s not going to be a race’. I say ‘How do you know?’ ‘Ah, we know because we saw, we read or we heard’ or something like that. It’s all nonsense,” he exclaimed.

The F1 supremo also denied there are any worries regarding security, “I’m absolutely sure that whatever is necessary to do will be done,” he said. “Probably not necessary. We’ve never been concerned about security in the past. I don’t understand why we should be now.”

Chris Hemsworth, former Australian soapie star and Thor leading man, will play James Hunt in Ron Howard’s F1 movie Rush. From a physical likeness point of view it’s not a bad match. Let’s hope he does the loveable rogue character of James Hunt well. It’d be a great role to play, that’s for sure!

German actor Daniel Brühl will play Niki Lauda. The movie is due out in 2013 and we’re getting sucked into the build up and can’t wait to see what Howard delivers.

The official word on the movie reads: “Following their personal lives on and off the track, Rush follows the two drivers as they push themselves to the breaking point of physical and psychological endurance, where there is no shortcut to victory and no margin for error. If you make one mistake, you die.”

[Source: Mail Online]