The FIA has issued the following justification for holding the Bahrain GP on October 30, claiming that the race will help to unite the people of the country.
It says that an FIA delegation visited the country last week, and seemingly the resulting report said that all was well.
Today Associated Press reported that police fired tear gas at protestors in a street demonstration.
The teams have made it clear recently that they were not in favour of a return to Bahrain 2011. A response from FOTA is expected soon.
There is still no firm date for the Indian GP, which has vacated its October 30 slot. However, the Delhi race will have to be on Dec 4 or 11. Those dates straddle the FIA end of year meetings and prizegiving, which are to be held in the same city.
“Following a fact-finding mission undertaken at the request of FIA President Jean Todt, FIA Vice President Carlos Gracia visited Bahrain on 31 May 2011 to assess the situation in the country. Meetings were conducted with the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Bahrain Motor Federation and Bahrain International Circuit, as well as other national and international organisations including Mr. Tariq Al Saffar at the National Institute of Human Rights.
“It should be noted that the recent announcement by the King of Bahrain has established a political dialogue and reconciliation process. After considering all the factors and taking into consideration all stakeholders’ concerns, the WMSC unanimously agreed to reinstate the Bahrain Grand Prix in the 2011 FIA Formula One World Championship.
“This decision reflects the spirit of reconciliation in Bahrain, which is evident from the strong support the race receives from the Government and all major parties in Bahrain, including the largest opposition group, all of whom endorse the Formula One Grand Prix and motor sport in the country.
“The WMSC feels that reinstating the Grand Prix is a means of helping to unite people as the country looks to move forward, and also recognises the commitment made by the Formula One teams, their employees and families, and personnel associated with the Championship including the local team of volunteers who are so vital to the event.
“The Bahrain Grand Prix will take place on 30 October, replacing the Indian Grand Prix, which will now become the final round of the 2011 Championship, combined with the FIA Annual General Assembly and Prize-Giving Gala.”
Adam Cooper F1 
I hope the teams can fight this decision.
It will put at risk all the crew members, pilots, and it will ignore the suffering of the people on Bahrain.
Like lambs to the slaughter. If Bernie and the FIA haven’t made their contempt readily known before, the teams should be well aware now.
The safety of the teams, the fans and Bahrainian protesters is irrelevant to cheeky Bernie and the dullards from the FIA. I can forgive the politicking, dickering, and other assorted stupidity of F1s leaders but this is reprehensible.
I feel for the drivers and teams. Given sponsorships, their between a rock and a hard place. Not since the South African GPs has the politics of F1 produced such an ugly, reckless and tin-ear result.
Not sure how indulging the ruling elite by sanctioning their plaything for another year will unite the people that their police force are currently brutalising. Is that the most misguided and insensitive statement since the FISA era?
This is sickening. I half expected this to be the outcome, as I’m sure most had, but I’m still surprised that such an absurd decision has been made.
It strikes me as odd that the FIA undertook a fact finding mission, only to visit governmental organisations and members of the royal family. The National Institute of Human Rights is run by the government. I’m sure that they presented valuable information, but would it not have been wiser to consult independent human rights organisiations? There are a number to choose from: Amnesty International, Medicins Sans Frontieres, Physicians for Human Rights and Bahrain Center fro Human Rights (a non-governmental, non-profit organisation) are but a few that are on offer.
However, I’m sure the FIA consulted a number of people, in equal numbers from all sides of the spectrum. Perhaps they may have interviewed Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, Karim Fakhrawi and Mohammed al-Tajer. Oh, hang on, the former and the latter are currently in jail awaiting the death penalty, whilst the other is six-feet under. How Strange.
I hope that this is overturned, and that those who have an interest in F1, who follow F1 and work in F1 apply pressure on these ridiculous idiots in the WMSC to re-consider their shameful decision.
And that’s quite apart from the personal security of the teams and their employees. James Allen has just tweeted about insurance; Adam talks about other race visitors. What will the foreign office say if (when) it kicks off again?
The anti-government Shia groups and Hezbollah now effectively have a target to organise their protests around – they know the world is focused on this event so they’re bound to use it as a focal point – if we even get that far. F1 has blundered into a situation in which it is clearly way out of its depth. Could damage the “brand” irreperably.
I wonder if the teams, who have only very recently voiced objections to late calendar changes will join to mount some kind of ‘silent protest’ at the event like not doing publicity with media, sponsors etc. over the weekend. It will be very embarrassing for Bernie, the FIA, and Bahrain Royal Family if they can’t get photo’s with drivers etc. and world TV coverage fills the gaps with stories of the political events in the country.
(Obvious problem for McLaren of course, given that they are part owned by Bahrain).
Short of F1 not racing, the rulers will get publicity one way or another. I’m sure they’ll be presenting the winners trophy, as well.
But they don’t have to pose & spray champagne.
Doesn’t matter. All the rulers want is a photo-op as they hand the trophy. Anything after that doesn’t matter.
And they don’t have champagne, remember?
Comments from Seymour Hersh on Bahrain today:
“And what you have now is a… counterrevolution going on, fueled largely by the Saudis and their panic. You see the implication of that in Bahrain, where the unbelievable things are happening to the Shiites, the minority Shiites there. They may be a majority in terms of population, but certainly a minority in terms of power. And you have that regime brutalizing its people in a way that’s beyond, I would argue, anything going on elsewhere, including in Syria. As bad as it is in Syria, it’s much worse in Bahrain.”
Hersh is a journalist who came to fame for uncovering the My Lai massacre of innocents in Vietnam. Link to full interview on Democracy Now: http://www.democracynow.org/seo/2011/6/3/seymour_hersh_on_the_arab_spring
Interesting that the FIA made its “fact-finding” visit to Bahrain before the state of emergency was lifted – no wonder they found it quiet.
It is amazing that the WMSC was unanimous in its decision! I wonder what was so persuasive that we fans don’t know about.
Follow the money.
The teams may be forced to go but they can’t be forced to race.
Perhaps. Some would, some wouldn’t, (ala the 2005 USGP) and it would be an even bigger farce. I’m afraid I have grave doubts that some of the teams have the intestinal fortittude to lose a multi-million dollar sponsor on moral grounds.
This astonishingly wishful thinking on the part of the FiA, and it seems the only thing Bernie Ecclstone learned from 1985 South African Grand Prix is how to cover his backside and hedge is bets.