Bahrain race has been cancelled

  • Thread starter Thread starter blaaah
  • 190 comments
  • 21,770 views
blaaah

blaaah

(Banned)
Messages
1,078
Well it could be cancelled if the protests escalate in Bahrain.
Ecclestone has been trying to call the Crown Prince but can't get through, he is worried about the Grand Prix being disrupted. He warns that a protest on the starting grid of the race would be just what protesters would use to get the most attention. He is not giving any assurances for the race as of yet.
 
Last edited:
It's everywhere you look for it. Ecclestone has shown public concern and that's got to mean something. But he says he will speak with the Crown Prince of Bahrain today ... (autosport, ESPNF1 ... )

My guess is this GP will happen and the grandstands will be filled by the army ... or what part of it can be off-duty that particular day
 
Been watching the story worriedly. Hopefully it gets resolved soon as I can't wait for racing to resume.
 
I just saw it on GPUpdate:

GPUpdate
It has emerged in the Bahraini press that protesters are to target the season-opening Formula 1 race in a bid to ‘draw attention to their cause’, with capital city Manama currently scene of numerous riots which could also affect this weekend's GP2 races.

As reported on Tuesday, the Grand Prix is poised to be an ideal target for anti-government rioters thanks to its global reach of some 527 million television viewers.

“For sure F1 is not going to be peaceful this time,” Nabeel Rajab, Vice President of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, told Arabian Business. “They’ll be lots of journalists, a lot of people looking and (the government) will react in a stupid manner as they did today and yesterday. And that will be bloody but will be more publicised.”

The protests in Bahrain follow other recent conflicts in the Arab world, such as those in Tunisia and Egypt.
Click to expand...

And Bernie's responce:

GPUpdate
Formula 1 commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone has admitted his fears over the ongoing riots in Bahrain, with it having emerged on Tuesday that anti-government protesters are now targeting next month’s season-opening race.


Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
With the Arab world having witnessed protests of late in Tunisia and Egypt, Bahraini capital city Manama is currently the scene of numerous protests and violence which are also affecting proceedings ahead of this weekend’s GP2 Asia Series races.

Conflict has increased today, with police clashing with mourners at the funeral of a Shi'ite protestor who was shot dead during yesterday’s ‘Day of Rage’ demonstration; it is believed that today’s incident has resulted in the death of at least one person.

Ecclestone is now attempting to contact Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. "He is a bit busy, as you can imagine, so I don’t know yet exactly what is going on,” the 80-year-old explained to The Daily Telegraph.


Ecclestone and Bahrain's Crown Prince on the Sakhir starting grid in 2009
“The danger is obvious, isn’t it? If these people wanted to make a fuss and get worldwide recognition it would be bloody easy, wouldn’t it? You start making a problem on the start grid in Bahrain and it would get worldwide coverage.”

When asked whether the race could be cancelled due to the protest threat, Ecclestone replied: “I have no idea. It’s hard to establish exactly what is going on. “As I say, I’m speaking with the Crown Prince later on. We’re watching events closely. We’ll rely on what they think the right thing to do is.

“He is a very realistic person. I have never had any problems in Bahrain in the past and I’m happy to walk around town there. But we don’t know now. The world is changing.”
Click to expand...
 
Actually I'd rather have them skip the first GP rather than have all of the new cars peed on/stood on/burnt/ etc.
 
The only reason why anyone is supportive of the idea is because it's Bahrain that could be cancelled. If we were talking about, say, Brazil, it would get an entirely different reaction.

I don't think there's any danger. Egypt was in worse shape, and their revolution was sorted out in the space of about two weeks. There's still a month to go to the race.
 
But the danger is, the protesters will wait for and organise the demonstration only when the F1 event is on. This is the key concern. And if I was a protester that is exactly what I would do.
 
blaaah
But the danger is, the protesters will wait for and organise the demonstration only when the F1 event is on. This is the key concern. And if I was a protester that is exactly what I would do.
Click to expand...
Except that the government will move to prevent the protesters from using the Grand Prix as a medium. What can the protesters do, anyway? Stand around and chant? The police will be very careful to make sure that the government looks good, so they won't take action until the protesters do, which will make the protestors look bad. Likewise, the protestors can't simply postpone action until the race, because that gives the government a month to clean everything up, which means there is a very real chance that if the protestors stop, they won't get started again. And if the protestors do delay action a month simply to get international coverage, they're going to look vapid and shallow, as if they only want the attention and not the reforms.
 
Make the protesters look bad lol?
They can do what they want they could burn down the whole complex track and all, and look very good in the eyes of their nation if they want to bring down their leaders and government. Why should they care what the rest of the world F1 fans think? Or even the rest of the world as a whole. What they are doing is more important for them and their country.
 
blaaah
Make the protesters look bad lol?
They can do what they want they could burn down the whole complex track and all, and look very good in the eyes of their nation if they want to bring down their leaders and government. Why should they care what the rest of the world F1 fans think? Or even the rest of the world as a whole. What they are doing is more important for them and their country.
Click to expand...

Obviously they do care what others think though or they wouldn't be targeting an event that will have millions of people watching.
 
Well yes, but I don't think they are worried about looking bad. If it's peaceful they succeed, if it's violent or completely disrupts the F1 then they may succeed. Depends what their demands are and if they are met. If they are asking to do something and the government refuses then the government becomes the enemy and unrepresentative of the state, I'm presuming here that the majority of people are of the opinion to protest. Then it is down to the people whether they allow the F1 to proceed after a demonstration of refuse to allow it if the government is still in control, as F1 represents the will of the government in this case I think. If the managers of F1 refuse a polite request from the protesters to stop the event and then leave then the people have the right to destroy all the property relating to F1 and capture any F1 personnel as they are enemies of the people. I don't think the F1 people would risk it though. Government military/police would get involved to stop the protesters getting control of the F1 track, it will lead to violence the protesters achieve moral victory the government looks bad for trying to repress the people.
That's one way of reading it.
 
blaaah
I'm presuming here that the majority of people are of the opinion to protest.
Click to expand...

From what I've read so far protests in Bahrain have only been drawing 1,000-2,000 people. Hardly a majority in a country of over 1,000,000.

Granted support is different than actually participating, but I would expect more than that if a large chunk of the population supported it.
 

This is what's happening now in the country.
2 protesters have been killed.
Government members are campaigning to have opposition leaders who failed in previous elections executed.
 
blaaah
Make the protesters look bad lol?
They can do what they want they could burn down the whole complex track and all, and look very good in the eyes of their nation if they want to bring down their leaders and government. Why should they care what the rest of the world F1 fans think? Or even the rest of the world as a whole. What they are doing is more important for them and their country.
Click to expand...


This. They aren't just protesting for the hell of it (as some Pakistanis did, banging their heads on walls and the like, when Bhutto died) but for a reason: a government that doesn't match their needs. As I heard from someone, "As long as it's humane, and they are matching their people's needs, they can do what it takes. He gave a stereotypical example (no offense to be taken, he used stereotypes for the simplicity for the listener to understand): Clinton serves people beer at a party to keep his guests happy. King Abdullah doesn't think that's right. He, on the other hand, keeps women at the control of their husbands to keep his people happy. Clinton doesn't think that's right. You see, one sees the other's act as unjust, but ultimately it doesn't matter as long as it is humane and their people are happy."
 
Everyone in the F1 'carnival' that comes into Bahrain also has to consider how they will be leaving, the amount of protestors could snowball and some of them could attempt to take control of the airport, aside from shutting down roads.

I'm assuming they do not intend to harm F1 or anyone in it, for all that will do is achieve hated from the viewers they are hoping to reach if they interrupt the event and/or schedule, but it is something to think about.
 
blaaah
Well yes, but I don't think they are worried about looking bad. If it's peaceful they succeed, if it's violent or completely disrupts the F1 then they may succeed. Depends what their demands are and if they are met. If they are asking to do something and the government refuses then the government becomes the enemy and unrepresentative of the state, I'm presuming here that the majority of people are of the opinion to protest. Then it is down to the people whether they allow the F1 to proceed after a demonstration of refuse to allow it if the government is still in control, as F1 represents the will of the government in this case I think. If the managers of F1 refuse a polite request from the protesters to stop the event and then leave then the people have the right to destroy all the property relating to F1 and capture any F1 personnel as they are enemies of the people. I don't think the F1 people would risk it though. Government military/police would get involved to stop the protesters getting control of the F1 track, it will lead to violence the protesters achieve moral victory the government looks bad for trying to repress the people.
That's one way of reading it.
Click to expand...
Except that it's a month away! The protestors can't rightly abandon all their actions for a month just so that they can get some extra coverage, because then it looks like all they are after is the attention and not reform. It's also incredibly unlikely that they'll actually be able to access the circuit and get on-camera for the world to see.
 
blaaah
They can do what they want they could burn down the whole complex track and all....
Click to expand...

They can burn some stuff, but they can't burn the track itself because it's not flammable. Most of the structures would likely remain intact, as well, though the flammable innards may need replaced. Some parts of the structure will burn, and much of it won't. So, technically, they can't actually burn the whole thing and definitely not the track itself.

Yes, that would still be bad, expensive, and time-consuming to repair, but I'm just splitting hairs. If you run outside and try to set your street/road on fire, it won't burn, and if you run over to the nearest concrete or brick structure and try to burn it, the wood, cloth, and paper inside will burn but the structure itself will largely remain.
 
These people are either huge morons or idiotic attention whores. Yes, half a billion people watch formula 1, and yes you will raise awareness; but honestly, disrupting, or even canceling a race will not gain you many sympathizers among the disappointed fans. They're only hurting their own cause by doing things like this.
 
lukecfc
These people are either huge morons or idiotic attention whores. Yes, half a billion people watch formula 1, and yes you will raise awareness; but honestly, disrupting, or even canceling a race will not gain you many sympathizers among the disappointed fans. They're only hurting their own cause by doing things like this.
Click to expand...

They are not looking for sympathizers so much as embarrassing the government and bringing their plight to the attention of everyone (that is, not just people tuning into to watch F1...such an event would hit world news).
 
^^Agreed, if you want to raise global awareness to an issue, don't live in a country that respects political liberties, your name is not Oprah and the issue isn't how many divorced fat people exist in "fast food" world ... you better hope your litle forgotten country has a world class event. And you better try to disrupt it. If you succeed, Oprah will know about you.

:p
 
Since 100% of Middle East governments are infact and defacto military autocratic monarchies where small minority of rich crown-headed families are holding 99% of country resources in their hands, I have great sympathy for all those democratic movements.

And also I don't give a slightest dime if F1 race gets cancelled because of it, as far as I'm concern people of Bahrain can even dismantle it and use healthy ground below the concrete to grow crops or live in grandstands and hold classes for kids there.
 
As I have said they do not care what the world viewers think, they are not a political party that need ratings, they want to bring down the government. Why a very well publicised event like F1 is a good target is because they can disrupt it which is not in the interests of the government, there will be conflict and that will be bad attention for the government who are seen to be out of control. Even if the protesters are all mass murderers and do all the violence that is irrelevant, why should it matter if what they do is wrong in the worlds eyes?
They are trying to bring down the government.
You would be incredibly over confident to presume the people wont gain access to the track, who will stop them, a whole army with tanks and thousands of troops with guns can not stop the will of a nations people, the soldiers will not kill their own kind indefinitely, the moral thing to do is just kill/remove the members of the government as that is a fewer number of human lives. The army commanders will have that choice when the time comes.
 
amar212
Since 100% of Middle East governments are infact and defacto military autocratic monarchies where small minority of rich crown-headed families are holding 99% of country resources in their hands, I have great sympathy for all those democratic movements.

And also I don't give a slightest dime if F1 race gets cancelled because of it, as far as I'm concern people of Bahrain can even dismantle it and use healthy ground below the concrete to grow crops or live in grandstands and hold classes for kids there.
Click to expand...

This. 👍

I personally don't want to see the race cancelled, but if that's what it takes for the protesters to get what they want, then I am all for it. In the grand scheme of things, what is worse, an F1 race gets cancelled for a year (and potentially removed from the calender in future) or a population of over 1 million people will to continue to be oppressed by a regime that they have to live with every single day?

The Bahrain's F1 race is definitely expendable, but Bahrain's populace certainly isn't.
 
Stevisiov
This. 👍

I personally don't want to see the race cancelled, but if that's what it takes for the protesters to get what they want, then I am all for it. In the grand scheme of things, what is worse, an F1 race gets cancelled for a year (and potentially removed from the calender in future) or a population of over 1 million people will to continue to be oppressed by a regime that they have to live with every single day?

The Bahrain's F1 race is definitely expendable, but Bahrain's populace certainly isn't.
Click to expand...

Agreed to both Amar and Stevisiov. 👍 --- Randy
 
blaaah
Make the protesters look bad lol?
Click to expand...
Quite. Nevermind if the protesters look bad, what would F1 and its myriad sponsors look like if they turn up in the middle of a country embroiled in the most significant social unrest in its modern history, merrily racing away while innocent civilians are being gunned down in the street just a few kilometers away? While the F1 circus may not be due to pitch up its tents for another few weeks, I would have thought that the decision to proceed or cancel will need to be made some time before then, and right now it would make sense to atleast consider cancelling the event.
 
Ok i'm sure the government is as good as dead now, they have signed their own fate by bringing in the tanks (50 of them). They have also killed 4 people last night, 100 injured.
The protesters were in the main capitals square before being attacked by riot police.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/bahrain/8329930/Bahrain-riot-police-fire-on-protest-camp.html

A wounded Shia Bahraini demonstrator arrives at a hospital in Manama after being assaulted by riot police Source: AFP/GETTY IMAGES


F1 had better not go to Bahrain, if they do they will be supporting the government. The traditional thing to do is boycott sporting events when the host country is doing something wrong. So that maybe a big factor in whether they go, not just if they will be disturbed at the track.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Do we really need to see that in this thread? Can't that be taken into the politics and current events section of this forum?
 
I'd hate to see the race called off because of this unrest but to be honest I don't know all the facts and don't wish to give an opinion about something I don't fully understand (Haven't read enough news).
Does anyone here think they personally would care more for the plight of these people if they do interfere with the racing?

...I've had wounds like the guy in that pic and most of the time they look worse than they are/feel (Not necessary the case here). I don't think that it should be removed from the thread because it is relevant to the thread.
 
Last edited:
Ardius
Do we really need to see that in this thread? Can't that be taken into the politics and current events section of this forum?
Click to expand...
I agree. In fact, I'm going to close this thread down because given the way the discussion has ben going, I think the conversation is better served in the thread on the uprisings across North Africa and the Middle East.
 

Latest Posts

Back