“I think under the right circumstances it would be OK. I don’t doubt that
they could hold the grand prix, but in order to hold the grand prix they
would have to impose very serious security measures to prevent protestors
making their point, then it would appear that the event is taking place on
one side of the argument.
“That is the worry for the reputation of the sport; that it is actually
taking political sides.”
Although teams and sponsors have generally kept their counsel – Marussia’s
Timo Glock is a notable exception, having told the German press last week
that he thought the race a bad idea – Hill’s concerns have been
endorsed by British politicians such as Richard Burden MP.
“Bahrain is nothing like as bad as the terrible situation in Syria,” Burden
said. “And F1 teams do race in other countries with unenviable human
rights records. But that does not mean it is right for F1 to collude in
presenting to the outside world a cocooned picture of normality at the
Bahrain International Circuit, when what is likely to be going on just few
miles outside the circuit could be very different.”
The chairman of Bahrain’s circuit, Zayed R Alzayani, responded by
denying that the race was being used as a political tool by the government.
“I don’t know why we are being dragged into the politics of the event,”
he said. “We are a social event, we are a sports event and we would
like it to stay that way.
“Bahrain has been the home of motorsport in the Middle East. We have hosted
seven previous grands prix and a majority of the attendance is not the
authorities or the royal family, it is fans of F1 and motorsport in general.”
Nevertheless, it is clear that the stakes are extremely high and that if
things go wrong the potential ramifications for the sport are huge, with
some very difficult questions sure to be asked as to what the sport was
doing there, despite the warnings.
Those questions would be additionally delicate given the nature of Bahrain’s
involvement in Formula One and motorsport in general, with the president of
the Bahrain Motor Federation an influential member of the FIA World Council
and McLaren part-owned by Bahrain.
The FIA spokesman said: “The FIA is constantly monitoring and evaluating
the situation in the Kingdom of Bahrain. We are in daily touch with the
highest authorities, the main European embassies and of course the local
promoters at BIC (Bahrain International Circuit) as well as the
international promoter.
“The FIA is the guarantor of the safety at the race event and relies, as
it does in every other country, on the local authorities to guarantee
security. In this respect we have been repeatedly assured by the highest
authorities in Bahrain that all security matters are under control.”