2012 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix

[BrokenVert]

Originally Posted by E90SLAM

Yes...

even Sutil (or lookalike) got flamed too...

Its in such bad taste.

It shouldnt be happening. F1 is a sport for the wealthy elite. Its not a game that can pull together a country like football or hockey.

[gary88]

It'll be an interesting weekend for sure.

[E90SLAM]

Oh boy...

[abisson]

Ok. Can someone please explain me why they are against F1 specifically?

Sorry for being ignorant.

[BrokenVert]

Originally Posted by abisson

Ok. Can someone please explain me why they are against F1 specifically?

Sorry for being ignorant.

like I said. Its because F1 is an elitist sport. Its being used as a banner of all things wrong with the Bahrain government.

Theyre willing to put an expensive sport ahead of the well being of the people.

[az34]

it's totally immoral and stupid to race in Bahrain. i'll boycott the race!

[Impervious]

I don't understand why F1 has been so keen on keeping Bahrain on the docket... maybe someone more familiar with the sport can enlighten me? It seems like it could be held elsewhere and all trouble could be avoided. If it is cancelled at this point it would cost the teams, formula 1 itself, and everyone involved a lot of money.

[E90SLAM]

IMO, I felt like F1 will be used as a tool by the royal family and government to show the rest of the world everything is fine and safe. And the protesters against it as brokenvert said, as elite sport organized by the government and royal family, they want the "show" to go on instead of fixing everything within.

As the race date approaches, protests will escalate and they want the world to hear their voice.
(Personally I hope that's not the case, and drama will contain within track between race cars and pit stops)

[E90SLAM]

Originally Posted by Impervious

I don't understand why F1 has been so keen on keeping Bahrain on the docket... maybe someone more familiar with the sport can enlighten me? It seems like it could be held elsewhere and all trouble could be avoided. If it is cancelled at this point it would cost the teams, formula 1 itself, and everyone involved a lot of money.

All about $$$, its a business decision.

[VIPLINE]

Originally Posted by Impervious

I don't understand why F1 has been so keen on keeping Bahrain on the docket... maybe someone more familiar with the sport can enlighten me? It seems like it could be held elsewhere and all trouble could be avoided. If it is cancelled at this point it would cost the teams, formula 1 itself, and everyone involved a lot of money.

Bernie

[Mahmood07]

[Impervious]

I just don't see how holding an event in Bahrain could be more profitable than holding it elsewhere.

[justinnum1]

Originally Posted by Impervious

I just don't see how holding an event in Bahrain could be more profitable than holding it elsewhere.

No one knows how much cash that bahrain king is putting in bernie's pocket

[E90SLAM]

Originally Posted by Impervious

I just don't see how holding an event in Bahrain could be more profitable than holding it elsewhere.

It was never about the spectator ticket and so on...its always the FOM fee that the organizers pay to Bernie and the CVC holdings....that's a lot of money....most new locations will either have wealthy government backing (or the kings from oil rich countries) or the organizers had to pull a lot of funding from partners (such as Austin one)...

[Impervious]

Okay, I see now. Thanks!

[E90SLAM]

Journalists greeted by relative normality

A travelling F1 journalist believes this weekend's controversial Bahrain Grand Prix could go ahead without problems.

Ahead of the island Kingdom's highly-contentious return to the F1 calendar this weekend after a two-year absence due to civil unrest, some of the sport's correspondents have this week been reporting from the scene of often violent protests.

Daily Telegraph correspondent Tom Cary said he was approached at a protest on Tuesday by a man wearing a Ferrari shirt. "I love F1," the man said, "but not over our blood."

Some other F1 regulars have skipped Bahrain altogether, as only 260 journalists are registered to attend, about three-quarters of the usual number.

Writing in the German-language Speed Week, however, Mathias Brunner endeavoured simply to make his way from the airport to his hotel, and on to the Sakhir circuit, where he will spend the week reporting about the grand prix.

"I am a Formula One journalist," he wrote. "I travel to countries where grands prix are held. After China, I wanted to get my own idea about what is true: the picture of the [Bahrain] government, where everything is fine, or the picture of the activists, where the entire place is in a state of civil war."

Brunner said FIA president Jean Todt had "no time" to answer questions about Bahrain when he visited the Chinese Grand Prix last weekend.

"My job is not to seek out unrest and talk with the opposition, but it's also not to parrot the slogans of the government. I just want to get an impression about where the grand prix is taking place. My first impression is that it's stiflingly hot. After a quarter of an hour's drive it is clear that there are more police about than on our last visit two years ago. I have counted more than 50 vehicles, at least. Then I saw a burned-out police car on the right of the main road."

Brunner said he was questioned at a police check-point before reaching the Sakhir circuit, and questioned again when he parked too close to a police car in the media parking lot. He also said he saw some police inside the circuit, before stopping for a "one-stop strategy" at a fast food outlet on the return to his hotel.

"I drove a different route on purpose, and there were a lot of police on the roads there as well. But what is clear is that the view about Bahrain in the Shanghai paddock [last weekend] in no way reflects the true situation in the country."

Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport claimed on Wednesday the race could theoretically still be cancelled as late as Thursday.

http://en.espnf1.com/bahrain/motorsp...ory/76142.html

[ptack]

Originally Posted by justinnum1

No one knows how much cash that bahrain king is putting in bernie's pocket

Ding, Ding, Ding
We have a winner, and your prize is a free ticket to the Bahrain Gran Prix. Please stay within the imported security cordon and do not attempt to make any contact with the locals.

[BrokenVert]

Originally Posted by ptack

Ding, Ding, Ding
We have a winner, and your prize is a free ticket to the Bahrain Gran Prix. Please stay within the imported security cordon and do not attempt to make any contact with the locals.

Can I trade it for something else?

[E90SLAM]

.

[Syndicategt]

Eh just move it to Abu Dhabi, it's a better track anyways.

[E90SLAM]

Originally Posted by Syndicategt

Eh just move it to Abu Dhabi, it's a better track anyways.

Two Abu Dhabi snore fest in a season...no thanks!!!

Turkey Istanbul Park is always available...

[Nang Vann]

Can't wait for this race! Go Aussie