“If it wasn’t for social networking it would be interesting to see what the
situation would be but we can only go on what the FIA is reading into the
situation. Obviously we are putting an immense amount of trust – and by ‘we’
I don’t mean the drivers, I mean you guys, the photographers, the media, the
catering staff, everybody – going to and from that track each day, competing
at that track and having a normal grand prix weekend. That is what we would
all love to see.”
Webber, 35, said that Red Bull had planned extra security for the Bahrain
weekend, but added: “I accept not everyone can have that and that doesn’t
make me feel comfortable.”
His concerns were reflected in Westminster, where the All-Party Parliamentary
Group for Democracy in Bahrain published an open letter calling on
Ecclestone to cancel the race.
“Bahrain is currently in the throes of a pro-democracy uprising which the Al
Khalifa regime is trying to stifle,” read the missive, which was signed by
18 MPs and three Lords. “The F1 grand prix would enable the hereditary
dictators to pretend that it is business as usual, which is not the case for
the majority of the people.
“The drivers, sponsors and fans of Formula One surely would not wish to be
seen to endorse a state that lacks basic standards of human rights,
democracy and the rule of law. Accordingly, we hope you will cancel this
event.”
Meanwhile, unrest in the island kingdom continues to simmer. The youth group
of the ‘Revolution of February 14’ has called for “three days of rage” over
the grand prix weekend, while on Wednesday night violence spilt over again
as “hundreds” of sword-wielding Sunni Muslims allegedly roamed a Shiite
village beating up residents in retaliation for a bomb attack that injured
seven policemen on Monday.
The latest developments prompted the White House to issue a statement
condemning the violence and professing to be “deeply concerned” by the
increasing polarisation of society.
Both Ecclestone and the FIA, whose elusive president Jean Todt was expected to
arrive in China this evening, nevertheless said that barring anything
drastic happening over the next few days the grand prix would be going ahead
as planned.
Webber, the only driver to speak out last year prior to the race being
cancelled in the wake of violent civil unrest, said he felt a responsibility
to get his views on the situation across to the public.
“We are all human,” he explained. “We all have morals, irrespective of whether
we’re sportsmen or sportswomen. Trying to give a fair and correct position
on Bahrain with you guys is something I try to do. You want to get it right.
It is an unusual position for a grand prix driver to be put in.”
And he concluded that, with so many vested interests, he hoped the final
decision would be taken for the right reasons.
“We all know why it might have dragged a bit,” he said. “F1 is like that.
There’s a lot of funding and finances that have come from Abu Dhabi and
Bahrain and the Middle East.
“They’re very excited about F1 and they clearly want to give it another go.
Let’s see if it works.”