Formula One: The Formula One teams want the sport's governing body to cancel – or at least postpone – the Bahrain Grand Prix, which is scheduled for April 22nd, because of increasing safety concerns amid protests in the kingdom, according to a leading member of one of the teams.
The team member, who would not be named but who said his views were representative, said: “I feel very uncomfortable about going to Bahrain. If I’m frank, the only way they can pull this race off without incident is to have a complete military lockdown there. And I think that would be unacceptable, both for F1 and for Bahrain. But I don’t see any other way they can do it.”
Until now the teams and sponsors have maintained a united front, leaving the big decision to the men who rule the sport. And Jean Todt, the president of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the sport’s governing body, and Bernie Ecclestone, the commercial rights holder, have insisted the race will go ahead.
But the team principal who broke rank yesterday added: “We’re all hoping the FIA calls it off. From a purely legal point of view, in terms of insurance and government advice, we are clear to go. But what we find worrying is that there are issues happening every day.”
Last year’s grand prix was cancelled after more than 40 people died, many after being tortured, following Shia-led protests against the Sunni ruling family. British MPs voiced worries in the wake of protests and growing concern for the condition of the jailed activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja.
Guardian Services
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