Bahrain: Evolution of the Situation

The International Automobile Federation having decided to maintain the Bahrain Grand Prix despite threats from anti-government protesters and the risk of political exploitation by the ruling power, the editorial team of casinoenligne.uk.com will keep you regularly informed throughout the weekend about any potential incidents that may affect the Grand Prix.

Last update: Saturday, 10:00 PM

SATURDAY, 10:00 PM – A protester found dead on Saturday morning

The body of Salah Abbas Habib was found lifeless in the village of Shakhura, where security forces had attacked peaceful protesters, brutalizing some of them with various tools and weapons, reports Al-Wafaq, the main opposition group to the current regime, accusing the police of being responsible for the death of this 36-year-old man. A relative of the victim claims that Salah Abbas Habib took part in a protest in Shakhura on Friday and was arrested by security forces while other protesters were fleeing, and there had been no news from him until we were informed that his body was found on Saturday morning.

While an investigation for homicide seems to have been opened, the King of Bahrain assured that the door was always open for a sincere dialogue with the entire population before asserting that the pace of reforms needed to be maintained.

General Tariq al-Hassan, responsible for public security, for his part, states that the government condemns any act of violence and will ensure that the perpetrator(s) of this crime, regardless of their identity, will be brought to justice.

FRIDAY, 5:05 PM – Anonymous hacks the official F1 website

The Anonymous, a worldwide group of hackers, is currently expressing its discontent with the FIA’s decision to go to Bahrain. The Anonymous are reportedly attacking the official F1 website: Formula1.com.

It is sometimes impossible to access the website. Slowness has been noticed, as well as the absence of a significant part of the site’s design.

The website https://f1-racers.net/ was also hacked, displaying a message in English advocating for human rights.

FRIDAY, 3:45 PM – Bahrain will not cancel the race

Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa assured that there was no question of canceling the Grand Prix despite the problems encountered by some teams when leaving the circuit: « I think that canceling would only strengthen the extremists. I think that for those who, like us, try to stay away from political issues, having the race allows us to build bonds between communities and make them work together. […] I can absolutely guarantee that the problems that could or might occur are not directed against F1. It shows that there are people who are there to create chaos. […] At no time were F1 people in danger. I hope that by coming here you will understand that contrary to what has been reported to you, we are not trying to say that we are perfect. We are a real country, with real problems, and we hope you will understand the full complexity of it. […] I am sure that protests that will occur at certain times are part of the political process of every country.

FRIDAY, 3:40 PM – Sauber mechanics confronted by masked men

After Force India, Sauber mechanics also faced masked men on Thursday evening: « Last night, around 8:30 PM, a Sauber team minibus left the circuit to head to the Novotel in Manama. Traffic was slow, cars had their hazard lights on. There was no traffic in the opposite direction. The team members saw some masked people coming from that direction towards their lane, where a Molotov cocktail was also burning. The minibus moved to the far-right lane and left the scene. No one from Sauber was injured » the Swiss team explained in a statement.

FRIDAY, 1:00 PM – Force India may sacrifice Free Practice 2 to return to the hotel earlier.

The Force India team may limit its running during Free Practice 2 or might not even participate for safety reasons, so that all mechanics can reach their respective hotels during daylight, thus minimizing the risk of being caught in the demonstrations announced for the end of the day.

During the first Free Practice session, the Indian team was one of the most diligent teams on the track, and its drivers were the only ones to use soft tires: « We are looking at the data we have, and we might reconsider the program, perhaps even not participate at all in Free Practice 2 » stated Bob Fernley, the deputy director of the team.

THURSDAY – The TF1 team will not be in Bahrain

Like their German, Finnish, or Japanese counterparts, Christophe Malbranque, Jean-Louis Moncet, and Jacques Laffite will not be in Sakhir to commentate on the Bahrain Grand Prix. The trio will be working from the channel’s studios in Boulogne-Billancourt.

Furthermore, Livio Oricchio, the renowned correspondent for the Brazilian newspaper O Estado de Sao Paulo, decided in agreement with his newspaper not to go to Bahrain: « We had tickets for the entire season except for Bahrain and the United States because there were doubts about each of these Grand Prix being held. Like many journalists, I will not be in Sakhir. I always believed the race would not take place, and I’m still not 100% sure that something won’t force the FIA or FOM to cancel the race,” explains the Brazilian journalist.

THURSDAY – Force India will not forfeit and doubles its security

After the incidents involving four Force India mechanics, the Indian team confirmed that two of its members had decided to leave the country, but Bob Fernley, deputy director of the team, assured that Force India would not withdraw, even though protesters had announced a day of rage for Sunday. Bob Fernley notably met with the event organizers, police advisor John Yates, and Bernie Ecclestone’s right-hand man, Pasquale Lattuneddu: “We just want to be sure that all precautions have been taken,” he explained, as some British parliamentarians urged the team to pull out of the race.

There is no chance that we will withdraw [from the race]. […] We have been clear in our intentions. The FIA and the FOM, with whom we have contractual obligations, have assured us that it was safe for us to be here. We accepted that. […] As I told the British parliamentarians, by coming to Bahrain, Formula One can say that it has brought the world press with it, that it has highlighted certain issues, and it is now up to the parliamentarians to debate them » commented the deputy director of Force India.

« We obviously expect more protests in the coming days, so now we want team members to travel in groups. As a team, we have hired a security service here to provide our guys with a bit more comfort and assure them that we are taking care of them, which is our top priority. So we are coordinating our security with that of the circuit. We don’t want our guys to end up in a position or a place where they shouldn’t be » continues Fernley.

Thus, the journeys of the team’s cars – equipped with trackers – were modified, and team members were instructed not to wear official uniforms on the road leading to their hotels. Some teams also decided to remove all external markers that could identify the vehicles as belonging to teams or the organization.

THURSDAY – Bahrain delays visas for journalists accredited by the FIA

Two journalists from the Associated Press, accredited by the FIA to cover the Bahrain Grand Prix, were informed by the Bahrain’s Information Affairs Authority that their visas were on hold for logistical reasons. Originally from Dubai, the two journalists are reportedly not the only ones based in the Middle East waiting for their visas, despite being accredited by the sports authority. “We cover sports events worldwide, in all sorts of circumstances, and we see no reason why these journalists should be prevented from covering Bahrain,” protests Lou Ferrara, head of the sports department at Associated Press.

Last year, Bahrain tightened the conditions for obtaining an entry visa to its territory, particularly concerning journalists, whereas previously the media received their visas even before arriving in Manama, the capital.

THURSDAY – A peace slogan on the Sauber C31?

Activists from the Group for a Switzerland without an Army (GSoA) went to the headquarters of the Sauber team to encourage it to put a sticker on its C31 this weekend, featuring the following slogan: « No Guns Against Voices ».

Jonas Zuercher, spokesperson for the movement, told the Associated Press that the slogan could appear on the rear wing of the cars of Sergio Perez and Kamui Kobayashi, thus suggesting that the Swiss team could make a gesture towards the people of Bahrain as the authorities, according to him, are using the Grand Prix for political purposes.

THURSDAY – Nico Hülkenberg hopes that the rest of the weekend goes well.

After four mechanics were involved in an incident [see below] on their way back to the hotel, and with a member of the Indian team deciding to leave the country, Nico Hülkenberg responds that he feels « OK! » when asked if he feels safe in Bahrain. The German driver remains sensitive to the events: « It is obviously not good for this kind of thing to happen. We are here for a race. F1 is entertainment and this sort of thing really shouldn’t happen to us. Whether it’s right or not, I really don’t know. It’s hard to say. I’m not a politician, I’m a Formula One driver. It’s not good that we have to worry about this, it is what it is now, and let’s hope the rest of the weekend goes well and calmly. »

THURSDAY – The promoters of the Bahrain circuit want to reassure about safety

After the incidents that disrupted Wednesday, the Bahrain International Circuit aims to reassure in a statement released today: The BIC would like to reiterate its confidence in the ability of the competent authorities in Bahrain to handle such isolated incidents and confirms that the usual security measures are taken near the circuit to ensure that the level of security is maintained.

THURSDAY – De la Rosa is not worried about the drivers’ safety

In an interview with Autosport, Pedro de la Rosa, president of the GPDA, comments on the situation in Bahrain: “I did the same thing as during the previous Bahrain Grand Prix I participated in and I haven’t seen the slightest difference for the moment. Maybe there is a bit more security at the entrance of the hotels, but I haven’t seen anything different,” confides the HRT driver.

When asked about the incident involving a Force India team car [see below], Pedro de la Rosa acknowledges that the situation is not completely safe if this kind of thing happens but admits that he doesn’t know enough about it to say anything.

The President of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association insists that he has no concerns about the drivers’ safety and places his trust in the FIA: « Our viewpoint is that we don’t know much about the situation in Bahrain to form a firm opinion and […] we trust those who made the decision [editor’s note: the FIA]. It’s the best we can do, that and stay away from controversies. We are sportsmen, and we must always be on track. »

THURSDAY – A Force India car caught between two fires

Wednesday evening, a car carrying four members of the Force India team was accidentally caught in clashes between protesters and security forces on one of Manama’s main thoroughfares. A Molotov cocktail exploded near the vehicle after it was forced to stop: « No one on our team was injured. We were not directly targeted by these Molotov cocktails » however, stated a spokesperson for the Indian team.

If the four mechanics will indeed take part in the Grand Prix, a member of the Force India team has decided to leave the country.

Zayed R Alzayani, president of the Bahraini circuit, however, sought to downplay the significance of the incident: « It was an isolated incident and my wife was also involved. The protesters were not targeting the cars; they just ended up there. No one was hurt. I don’t give orders to the police; they know better than I do what needs to be done. I have a race to organize. »

WEDNESDAY – Protesters shout Down with Formula One! in the shopping area of Manama, the capital

The Associated Press reports incidents between protesters and law enforcement during a cultural demonstration organized alongside the Grand Prix on Wednesday. Hundreds of protesters rushed onto stalls and into stores in the Manama shopping area, some shouting “Down with Formula One!”, while many shops had decided to keep their doors closed. Security forces used stun grenades and tear gas to disperse the crowd.

Dozens of protesters also confronted Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the main supporter of the Grand Prix, as he left the funeral of a Shiite leader in the Sanabis region, plagued by frequent clashes between protesters and law enforcement.

WEDNESDAY – A Porsche Cup team withdraws from the race

The Bahrain Grand Prix also marks the start of the Porsche SuperCup season, which traditionally accompanies the F1 World Championship for most of the season. However, the MRS team has decided not to make the trip to Bahrain: « This is the first time in our history that we have canceled our participation in a Porsche Mobil1 Supercup race. Ultimately, we have a responsibility towards our employees. The Bahrain race is one of the highlights of the season for us, so it was not easy to make this decision. In agreement with our drivers and partners, we have concluded that we will only start the championship at the second race, in Barcelona, on May 13, » explains Karsten Molitor, director of the MRS team.