Formula One’s controversial weekend in Bahrain is unlikely to cause lasting damage to the sport, the 12 competing teams, their sponsors or viewing figures, according to a marketing expert with a background in the sport.

Sunday’s grand prix was a public relations disaster for the sport, with none of the teams happy to compete against a background of violence as protesters against the ruling Khalifa family took full advantage of the strong media presence. Some teams even got caught up with the protests.

But Jim Wright, who has worked for Williams and Virgin (now Marussia) and has been finding marketing and sponsorship for 25 years, said yesterday: “I think many positives will come out of the Bahrain Grand Prix. I’m not commenting on the FIA and the commercial rights holder and the decision to go there but most teams handled a difficult decision very well. On that basis I think a lot of people would be pleased with that and happy to get involved with them.

“Some damage was done to Formula One, and some of the comments that were made out there were crass, but it’s nothing that can’t be turned around.

“Obviously there are areas of Bahrain where there are problems. But once the decision was made to go there everyone in the sport got behind it, which was right and proper.”

Sky Sports’ coverage of the event was third among the top 20 pay-TV programmes on Sunday and the BBC’s highlights were the fourth most successful among terrestrial channel offerings.

Guardian Service