Last year the Bahrain Grand Prix was postponed and then cancelled altogether
after at least 35 people died in violent civil unrest.
But after an independent inquiry into the events of last spring, and the
subsequent promise of reform, Hill — one of Formula
One’s most respected figures, as well as being one of the few brave
enough to offer an opinion on this controversial subject — felt sufficiently
confident to offer a tentative show of support for the race when he was
unveiled as a Sky Sports pundit back in January.
The cancellation of the race would mean the satellite broadcaster would miss
out on one of the 10 races which it has exclusively live during a season in
which it is sharing coverage with the BBC.
But Hill, one of the channel’s big-name signings, said that was not a concern.
“Some things are more important than contracts,” Hill said.
“The view I gave after returning from the visit last year was based on my
understanding of several factors; the substantial economic significance of
the GP for Bahrain; that the report on the April riots condemned the actions
of the police and security forces, and that both sides were to take part in
meaningful dialogue to resolve the problems peacefully.
“Under those conditions one could imagine the GP being a great fillip for a
Bahrain on the road to recovery.
“However, with under three weeks to go, conditions do not seem to have
improved, judging by the reports in our European newspapers, social media
and on Al Jazeera TV.
“The recent meeting to garner support for the race as a unifying event
was troubling insofar as it tried to represent the rioting in Bahrain as the
result of bad press reporting and as a ’youth’ issue.
“Promoting the race as ’Uniting Bahrain’, whilst a laudable ambition, might be
elevating F1 beyond even its own prodigious powers.
“I’m just saying we have to tread carefully. I hope the FIA are
considering the implications of this fully and that events in Bahrain are
not seen as they are often sold, as a bunch of yobs throwing Molotov
cocktails, because that’s a gross simplification.
“If they believe that, they ought be more wary. You don’t get 100,000
people risking their lives in protest for nothing.”
Hill said he was not calling for the cancellation of the race, only for the
governing body to reconsider whether it was in the best interests of the
country and the sport.
And he added that commercial factors — there is speculation that the $40
million race fee might have to be returned to the Bahrainis in the event
that the sport cancels the race — should play no part in the decision.
“If we go, we all go,” he said. “But there is obviously still a great deal of
pain, anger and tension in Bahrain.
“It would be better for F1 to make it clear that it properly understands
this, and that it wants only the best for all Bahrain, or whatever country
it visits. I think F1 is sailing very close to this limit.
“But there is an even more troubling thought, which is this: is F1 playing
brinkmanship for purely financial reasons while people are putting their
lives in peril to protest against this event?”