Webber casts doubt on Bahrain race - GPUpdate.net


Red Bull Racing driver Mark Webber says he will be ‘highly surprised’ if the reinstated Bahrain Grand Prix goes ahead later this year, despite the FIA’s decision to set a new date for the race. During a World Motor Sport Council meeting in Barcelona on Friday, a 26-strong panel unanimously voted for the event to be staged on the weekend of October 28-30, but Webber believes the wrong choice has been made.

"My opinion is unchanged since I was first asked about this in late February," the Australian explained on his official website. "Even though a decision has been made, I’ll be highly surprised if the Bahrain Grand Prix goes ahead this year.

"In my personal opinion, the sport should have taken a much firmer stance earlier this year rather than constantly delaying its decision in hope of being able to re-schedule it in 2011. It would have sent a very clear message about F1’s position on something as fundamental as human rights and how it deals with moral issues.

"It’s obvious that the parties involved have struggled to reach a decision but sadly I feel that they still haven’t made the right one. Like it or not, F1 and sport in general isn’t above having a social responsibility and conscience. I hope F1 is able to return to Bahrain eventually but now isn’t the right time.

Webber added that he would not be happy to race at the Sakhir International Circuit in October, arguing that the situation in the country could worsen again as a result.

"As a competitor I do not feel at all comfortable going there to compete in an event when, despite reassurances to the contrary, it seems inevitable that it will cause more tension for the people of that country. I don’t understand why my sport wishes to place itself in a position to be a catalyst for that."

 

Mosley hits out at decision to reinstate Bahrain - GPUpdate.net


Former FIA President Max Mosley has taken the same stance as Red Bull driver Mark Webber over the restored Bahrain Grand Prix, claiming the decision to set a new date for the event is a ‘mistake’. A unanimous vote at a World Motor Sport Council gathering on Friday resulted in the race being rescheduled for October 30, but Mosley believes the outcome could be costly for the sport.

"Sporting bodies also have to overlook human rights violations in places where events are held and even in some member countries of the federations themselves," Mosley explained in a column for The Daily Telegraph.

"There are several reasons for this. First, to apply the highest standards of human rights you would have to exclude a very large number of countries from international sport, including at least one close ally of the United Kingdom.

"Secondly, if you were to apply anything less than the highest standards, you would be faced with endless debate about where to draw the line. Third, it is not the function of a sporting body to seek to dictate to governments what they can and cannot do. Politics should be left to the politicians.

"Why is this different to running an event in any number of countries where people are oppressed, kept in poverty, held without trial and mistreated (or worse) in prison? Surely the line has to be drawn when a sporting event is not mere entertainment in a less-than-perfect country, but is being used by an oppressive regime to camouflage its actions."

Mosley also said the FIA's choice will last in the memories of many people after the violence seen within the country earlier in the year.

"If a sport accepts this role, it becomes a tool of government. If Formula 1 allows itself to be used in this way in Bahrain, it will share the regime's guilt as surely as if it went out and helped brutalise unarmed protesters. The decision to hold the race is a mistake which will not be forgotten and, if not reversed, will eventually cost Formula 1 dear."

 

Fixed it for you.

 

YouTube - ‫

Stolen from Adam Coopers twitter feed....

I think Joe sums up this whole situation best

Another thought about Bahrain «

 

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Dear MARK WEBBER..

As I was told... This Bahrain F1 is way above such concerns.

 

Motorsport in general is as political as you can get and the FIA and F1 make a very big political statement by saying everything is fine and is ok to head back to Bahrain and lets just shuffle the calendar to suit.. I think we all are mature enough to keep this civilised and keep it on topic about the F1 and the Bahrain GP not Bahrain as such... I just don't think F1 should be placing it self in the position where it will be used to "show the world all is ok" yet no doubt opponents of the ruling class will see this as a chance to "show the world everything is not ok"... Why not wait till race one 2012 and give it some time and not shuffle the back end of the season to squeeze it in..

Todt hits back at Webber in a Beeb interview on the subject..

BBC Sport - Situation in Bahrain has stabilised, says FIA chief