Bahrain GP 2011 - Should it happen?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Pezzarinho17
  • 121 comments
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Reschedule or Cancel the Bahrain Grand Prix?

  • Reschedule it

    Votes: 14 24.6%

  • Cancel it

    Votes: 33 57.9%

  • Don't mind

    Votes: 10 17.5%
  • Total voters
    57
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I hope the teams don't turn up. I think Ferrari may even use this as leverage to get a breakaway series going.
 
RobGT81
I hope the teams don't turn up. I think Ferrari may even use this as leverage to get a breakaway series going.
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I can't see that happening without the grand prix being cancelled. There are still championship points up for grabs.
 
From BBC:
Red Bull driver Mark Webber is uncertain that the rescheduled Bahrain Grand Prix will take place.

The Australian, 34, said: "Even though a decision has been made, I'll be highly surprised if the Bahrain Grand Prix goes ahead this year."

Bahrain was due to be the season-opener on 13 March but was called off due to unrest and pro-democracy protests.

Formula 1's governing body, the FIA, agreed unanimously on Friday to restore the race to the calendar on 30 October.

Webber, writing on his official website, added: "In my personal opinion, the sport should have taken a much firmer stance earlier this year rather than constantly delaying its decision in the hope of being able to reschedule it in 2011.

"It would have sent a very clear message about F1's position on something as fundamental as human rights and how it deals with moral issues."

The government has cracked down hard on opposition activists during 11 weeks of martial law and military trials of mostly Shi'ite dissidents are continuing.

The FIA's decision to reschedule the race - with India moving to a December date - was a move strongly criticised by human rights campaigners and also opposed by teams.

"It's obvious that the parties involved have struggled to reach a decision but sadly I feel that they still haven't made the right one," said Webber.
Continue reading the main story

Like it or not, F1 and sport in general isn't above having a social responsibility and conscience.

Mark Webber Red Bull driver

"Like it or not, F1 and sport in general isn't above having a social responsibility and conscience. I hope F1 is able to return to Bahrain eventually but now isn't the right time.

"As a competitor I do not feel at all comfortable going there to compete in an event when, despite reassurances to the contrary, it seems inevitable that it will cause more tension for the people of that country.

"I don't understand why my sport wishes to place itself in a position to be a catalyst for that."

So you can see this is a man who is actually in F1 and publicly states the sport should take a political stand to give a message. "Like it or not, F1 and sport in general isn't above having a social responsibility and conscience."
Just like I say sport should get involved in things as much as possible using the power to influence.
 
And what happens when such "power" is mis-used eh?

What exactly is this "power"? Global awareness? What makes you think people don't already appreciate the plight of those in Bahrain?

What difference does holding a race or not make? None at all. This is all about public image.

Its interesting to read Mark's quotes near the end of the article, he is more worried that it will be a safety concern for everyone and it will only escalate the problems in the country. This is much more sound reasoning than "we shouldn't go because its not right".
 
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Moot
So you can see this is a man who is actually in F1 and publicly states the sport should take a political stand to give a message. "Like it or not, F1 and sport in general isn't above having a social responsibility and conscience."
Just like I say sport should get involved in things as much as possible using the power to influence.
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There's a difference - a vast difference - between having a conscience and actively trying to manipulate politics.

And just because one person says it should happen, it doesn't mean that it's absolute.
 
Mosley's views on the matter (Autosport)

I have to say that I see his reasoning. Many have said that politics should be kept apart from sport. However, in the case of Bahrain the only reason they are pushing so hard to send teams there this year is so that the ruling family can make it appear that Bahrain is okay when it clearly is not. This means that the sport is being used as a political tool to assist a regime. It is, as Mosley puts it, becoming "...a tool of government". I feel the teams should not race there this year, not to send a political message to the regime, but more to not allow itself to be used by the government to camouflage what it is doing to it's people.

Edit: Alternately, I feel that the teams (apart from Macca and Ferrari iirc, as they have a vested interest from sponsorship) would be permitted by their sponsors to run some form of message raising awareness about the issues in Bahrain. If all else fails, the teams are only contractually obliged to attempt to qualify and start the race, if the title is wrapped up, or almost wrapped up by then I would hope that at least some drivers would pull an Indy 05... I don't want these things to happen, but if this race goes ahead, it is what I would rather see happen.
 
senamic
the only reason they are pushing so hard to send teams there this year is so that the ruling family can make it appear that Bahrain is okay when it clearly is not.
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It is now the start of June. The race is scheduled for the end of October. Where is it written that nothing can change in the space of five months? Egypt and Tunisia underwent revolution in a matter of weeks. Change can come to Bahrain - what if the ruling family want the race to be the first major event in a reformed country?
 
F1 fan
I can't see that happening without the grand prix being cancelled. There are still championship points up for grabs.
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Well if no teams turn up then the grand prix will be cancelled lol. There is more important things in the world than championship points.
 
I thought the teams where contractually obliged to take park in every round?
 
HRT break ranks turn up and are declared constructors and drivers champions? :sly:
 
A scorpion takes pole in a time of 3:45:21.644 a met minutes ahead of Liuzzi. However, the scorpion has no DRS system and is vulnerable to the HRT of Liuzzi along the straight.(Kartakein didn't make 107%)

:lol: Not sure all the Bahrain troubles and attempts to get a race there would have been worth it but hey, Liuzzi would get 18 points.:sly:
 
Come on guys, HRT will be Red Bull pace by season's end :sly:
 
Peter.
Come on guys, HRT will be Red Bull pace by season's end :sly:
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Being faster than a can of Red Bull doesn't count.:lol:

Also, I just looked and it should be much warmer in October compared to March, will be interesting.
 
RobGT81
Well if no teams turn up then the grand prix will be cancelled lol. There is more important things in the world than championship points.
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True, but they are contractually obliged to show up. Plus, say for example Red Bull and Ferrari decided to boycott the race. A perfect weekend would put mclaren back up with red bull... Do you think they'd show up or boycott it?
 
As someone previously mentioned, pulling an Indy 05 is perfectly within their rights; the FIA or FOM can't stop them from voluntarily retiring their own cars.

Personally, I'd prefer they didn't go to Bahrain. Mainly because I think the track sucks, though. The Bahraini government can do whatever the hell it wants to their own people. It's always been like that in the Middle East, so I don't see any reason why we should suddenly start caring now.
 
I hope the teams do that, all do 1 lap from the start then all pull into the pits as a form of protest. Race over.
 
I'd rather the race not happen at all than to run such a farce as a warm-up lap and then everyone retires. Why would any motor racing fan wish for this?
 
Ardius
I'd rather the race not happen at all than to run such a farce as a warm-up lap and then everyone retires. Why would any motor racing fan wish for this?
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I would rather it not run at all, but if they are obliged to, which they now are, then they themselves can protest in this way, representing their own moral stance, and their sponsors stance...
 
Come on now, who actually enjoyed Indy 2005. It dis put Max Mosely in his place but no one cared. It was a 6 driver race. The podium was spread out by two laps.:yuck:
And don't expect all the teams to boycott it. The teams with less money would take the TV time as take the points.

And Bahrain has actually seen quite a bit of overtaking over the years. I like it as a track.
 
akmuq
Come on now, who actually enjoyed Indy 2005. It dis put Max Mosely in his place but no one cared. It was a 6 driver race. The podium was spread out by two laps.:yuck:
And don't expect all the teams to boycott it. The teams with less money would take the TV time as take the points.

And Bahrain has actually seen quite a bit of overtaking over the years. I like it as a track.
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Indy 2005 was over different circumstances, though; the Michelins were obviously dangerous, yet since changes weren't going to be made, only the teams running Bridgestones would run. They ran for easy points.

In Bahrain though, they'd be indirectly supporting the actions of a government that has beaten and murdered innocent civilians simply because they disagreed with the state. In my opinion, the morality of staging a race there is wrong.
Sort of like accepting an invitation to a sit-down dinner with Robert Mugabe.

It might make crap television, but I wouldn't complain if drivers refused to race. It's their choice.
 
SaberFire
Bahrain though, they'd be indirectly supporting the actions of a government that has beaten and murdered innocent civilians simply because they disagreed with the state. In my opinion, the morality of staging a race there is wrong.
Sort of like accepting an invitation to a sit-down dinner with Robert Mugabe.

It might make crap television, but I wouldn't complain if drivers refused to race. It's their choice.
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So does participating the Chinese GP or the upcoming Indian GP indirectly support child labor?
 
If we're going to get into that argument, by the time we're finished, I doubt we'll have a very big calendar :p.

Like I said before, I'm not particularly fussy either way. I have an opinion on the matter, sure, but I'd still watch the race if it happened. I simply just don't care for the country of Bahrain.
 
SaberFire
In Bahrain though, they'd be indirectly supporting the actions of a government that has beaten and murdered innocent civilians simply because they disagreed with the state. In my opinion, the morality of staging a race there is wrong.
Sort of like accepting an invitation to a sit-down dinner with Robert Mugabe.
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Is it? Or is it just a motor race? Sport shouldn't be viewed this way, it shouldn't be viewed as "supporting the actions of a government" just because it holds an event in that country. I know why it is but its just a crying shame that people have to take this view (and as mentioned, slightly hypocritical when no one takes the same view with any other country with disagreeable governments).
There shouldn't be a morality applied to a sporting event, its not a moral statement of anything. Its just a sports event. The only moral implication here is that the Bahraini monarchy are the ones who fund the GP and benefit from the exposure it brings..its got absolutely nothing to do with the morality of sporting events...because sporting events are not moral statements.
 
Moot
I would rather it not run at all, but if they are obliged to, which they now are, then they themselves can protest in this way, representing their own moral stance, and their sponsors stance...
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Legend has it that the last time drivers threatened to boycott a race, Bernie Ecclestone walked down the grid and said "You're driving. You're driving. You're driving.", and lo and behold, the race went ahead.
 
Honestly, if we're arguing about politics and morals, we haven't even scratched the surface of F1. But that's a discussion for another time. As for Bahrain, I think it should happen, since it's a reasonable circuit purpose-built for the event, but should it open the season? Probably not.
 
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