The teams want the FIA to cancel Bahrain
A team owner, who wished to remain anonymous, told the British press that the teams were hoping for a postponement or even a cancellation of the Bahrain Grand Prix by the FIA.
The Bahrain Grand Prix 2012 is scheduled to take place on the weekend of April 22, which is in just over 10 days. For now, uncertainty still looms over the holding of the event. Several personalities have called on the FIA to cancel the Grand Prix, notably Damon Hill, F1 World Champion in 1996.
Today, it is the turn of a team director to speak to the British press. However, he insisted on remaining anonymous, but his message is unequivocal. He hopes that the FIA will postpone the Grand Prix or even cancel it because he does not see how the race can take place in the current context.
“I feel very uncomfortable at the idea of going to Bahrain. If I’m honest, I think the only way to see the race happen without incident is to have a military curfew in place. And I think that would be unacceptable, both for Formula 1 and for Bahrain. But I don’t see how they could do otherwise,” this team principal told the Guardian.
The teams hope for a cancellation, even if everything has been planned to go to Bahrain otherwise: « We all hope that the FIA will cancel [the Grand Prix]. From a purely legal standpoint, in terms of insurance and considering government advice, we can go. But what we find concerning is that there are issues arising every day. »
According to this team director, the entire F1 paddock is concerned even if all employees are covered in case of issues: «Other team directors have the same concerns. I spent the entire last week checking the insurances to reassure the teams. I sent an email to our legal department to ensure that all employees are covered in case of terrorism or civil unrest when they travel to the Bahrain Grand Prix, are present there, and return from it.»
Even though the situation has evolved since 2011, it is still not enough for a Formula 1 Grand Prix to take place in a week according to the interviewed director: «We have a lot of people. Our first and main concern must be for our employees. And their families. That is what worries us the most, even if we don’t talk about it. For me, even though there has been political progress in Bahrain for some time, they are not ready yet. It would be better to postpone the race later in the year or even cancel it.»
The teams are not, however, incorporated into the decision-making process, but the presence of FIA President Jean Todt in China could be an indication of what the governing body will do: « But it is a decision that must be made by the FIA, the FOM, and the commercial rights holder. I never thought a decision would be made before the last week before the race in China. I think Jean Todt being in China is interesting. »
In 2011, the FIA decided to cancel the Bahrain Grand Prix three weeks before it was scheduled. But this year, with less than two weeks until the race, no decision seems to have been made despite the teams’ desire not to go to the Sakhir Circuit. It is therefore highly likely that a final decision and an announcement will be made in the coming days.
