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Formula 1
F1: Ecclestone Insists Bahrain Will Be On
F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone expects to be in Bahrain next week...
"You can't stop people from spending the money they have," says Bernie Ecclestone, referring to the big-budget F1 teams. (Photo: LAT Photographic)
Bernie Ecclestone insists that the Bahrain GP is going ahead and won’t be cancelled unless the local sporting authority – which is in effect the government – withdraws it from the calendar.
That’s what happened in 2011, although clearly there was some negotiation behind the scenes before that decision was agreed between the relevant parties.
Ecclestone was besieged by the media when he arrived at Shanghai International Circuit on Thursday.
“The race is on the calendar, it's scheduled,” he told Reuters. “The only people that can do anything about it is the national sporting authority in the country that can ask for it to be withdrawn from the calendar. Unless it gets withdrawn by the national sporting authority in the country, then we'll be there.
“We enter a country in the normal way, we don't deal with the religion or the politics. I shall be there for sure. I hope everybody is there. We shouldn't be getting involved with other people's politics.
“I don't think the people in Bahrain have got anything against Formula One team people or journalists.”
Meanwhile, a report sent to the FIA by former London policeman John Yates – now a security advisor to Bahrain – has emerged in the media. It paints a positive picture and suggests that F1 won’t face any problems. Yates also said he felt safer in Bahrain than in London.
In response to that, London-based democracy campaigner Ali Mushaima told the Press Association: “The people are very angry. I don't think that the area will be safe. If the Bahraini people don't feel safe in their country, they cannot give any foreign people guarantees to be safe when Formula One comes to Bahrain.
“The Bahraini people are peaceful. However, if Formula One comes to Bahrain, I don't know what will happen – but I don't think everything will be peaceful.”
Adam Cooper notched up his 27th season as a racing journalist in 2011. He has written about F1 for SPEED.com since 2005. Follow him on Twitter.
That’s what happened in 2011, although clearly there was some negotiation behind the scenes before that decision was agreed between the relevant parties.
Ecclestone was besieged by the media when he arrived at Shanghai International Circuit on Thursday.
“The race is on the calendar, it's scheduled,” he told Reuters. “The only people that can do anything about it is the national sporting authority in the country that can ask for it to be withdrawn from the calendar. Unless it gets withdrawn by the national sporting authority in the country, then we'll be there.
“We enter a country in the normal way, we don't deal with the religion or the politics. I shall be there for sure. I hope everybody is there. We shouldn't be getting involved with other people's politics.
“I don't think the people in Bahrain have got anything against Formula One team people or journalists.”
Meanwhile, a report sent to the FIA by former London policeman John Yates – now a security advisor to Bahrain – has emerged in the media. It paints a positive picture and suggests that F1 won’t face any problems. Yates also said he felt safer in Bahrain than in London.
In response to that, London-based democracy campaigner Ali Mushaima told the Press Association: “The people are very angry. I don't think that the area will be safe. If the Bahraini people don't feel safe in their country, they cannot give any foreign people guarantees to be safe when Formula One comes to Bahrain.
“The Bahraini people are peaceful. However, if Formula One comes to Bahrain, I don't know what will happen – but I don't think everything will be peaceful.”
Adam Cooper notched up his 27th season as a racing journalist in 2011. He has written about F1 for SPEED.com since 2005. Follow him on Twitter.
Grand Prix of Bahrain
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