Bahrain public unrest

[WhiteBlue]

The thread on the race has been locked by Tomba but now there are some news that will cast doubt over the opening GP and test in Bahrain.

http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2011/02/ ... n-bahrain/ Joe Saward also linked a video showing demonstrations and public unrest.

According to local bloggers and contributers to internet BBs there has been a plan to have a "day of anger" today to express the public displeasure with the suppression of the Shia majority of the population and the police brutality against activists who have been imprisoned.

Perhaps the mods can re open the thread and we can monitor the situation.

[Just_a_fan]

Perhaps the mods can re open the thread and we can monitor the situation.

Let's not. A separate thread that can be killed as required would be better. Let's not pollute the race thread with religious/political discussion.

[myurr]

Or better yet could we just use this thread, and save the race thread for when/if the race goes ahead?

[WhiteBlue]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3LazFJ0wa4[/youtube]

[gridwalker]

If these protests can lead to a better quality of life for the people then I don't really care if the race goes ahead ... unfortunately, that is a very big "if" indeed.

[WhiteBlue]

If these protests can lead to a better quality of life for the people then I don't really care if the race goes ahead ... unfortunately, that is a very big "if" indeed.

I don't think they have much chance to resolve the underlying issues in the short term. The majority of the population is of the Shia religious branch of muslim believe. They are disadvantaged in public life because the reigning monarchy is of Sunni believe. They feel threatened by the Iranian influence which is also shiite.

The government can throw money at the issue which they have tried but they will not have a chance if they allow democratic "one man, one vote" principles. So the only prospect is continuing oppression and demonstrations against the police brutalities and torturing.

Bahrain isn't like Tunesia and Egypt because the life standard is much higher. The question is how will the comparably liberal government (compared to Saudi) deal with the public protest over the next days. Perhaps the demonstrators call it a day. But perhaps they will go back on the streets tomorrow and the violence will escalate. We cannot know.

[Richard]

We cannot know.

Indeed. So why worry about it now?

My comment in the context of F1techical. Obviously there is a valid discussion to be had over at Amnesty International or Human Right Watch, but not here.

[WhiteBlue]

We cannot know.

Indeed. So why worry about it now?

My comment in the context of F1techical. Obviously there is a valid discussion to be had over at Amnesty International or Human Right Watch, but not here.

There is a test scheduled in Bahrain on 03.03.2011 which is only 19 day away. So there is some obvious interest by F1 fans about public unrest which can disrupt the test and the GP.

I'm of two minds about that. On one hand I don't want to support undemocratic regimes, on the other hand I don't want the F1 test and race to be cancelled.

[manchild]

If they begin using Molotov cocktails, than I see no reason why real alcoholic champagne wouldn't be used on podium.

[ESPImperium]

New updates from GP2 and Van Der Garde:

http://www.gpupdate.net/en/gp2-news/252 ... isruption/

This is really worrying, could Bahrain go the way of Egypt before Round 1??? Just hope Bernie and the FIA have a backup plan, like going to Abu Dhabi to start the season and then re adjusting the season end callender.

This could go all wrong quite quickly.

[Just_a_fan]

Perhaps Bernie might consider holding GPs in settled democracies as part of the circuit selection process...

As some of these circuits struggle to get numbers through the gates it wouldn't be too problematic to go somewhere else in e.g. Europe that has a history of holding GPs and could quite quickly fill the void. I'm sure e.g. Magny C'ors could step in to the frame quite quickly if needed...

[WhiteBlue]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/89491
Nabeel Rajab, vice president of campaign group Bahrain Center for Human Rights, said on Tuesday that the grand prix was being viewed as an opportunity for protesters to publicise their cause.

"For sure F1 is not going to be peaceful this time," Rajab told Arabian Business. "There'll be lots of journalists, a lot of people looking and [the government] will react in a stupid manner as they did today and yesterday. And that will be bloody, but will be more publicised."

I reckon they will try to have demonstrations under the eye of the GP visitors in places like the airport, tourist hotels and at the entry to the track. This would make it tricky for the riot police to use inappropriate violence without the international visitors realizing what goes on.

[FW17]

If we are going to have a replacement I have some wishful thinking here for a non-championship race.

1) kyalami circuit: facilities similar to Interlagos, however it will be great fall weather in South Africa

2) Indianapolis Motor Speedway: run anticlockwise than the previous clockwise of previous years. Freezing temperatures but will be a great test of popularity of F1 prior to Austin 2012

[mx_tifoso]

Wtf? Can't these people wait until after the GP takes place? So selfish!*



WilliamsF1, Kyalami isn't a Grade 1 circuit, so a revamp by mid March seems quite out of the picture. See here.



*Lame humor.

[Richard]

Have you seen the Economist's Shoe-thrower's Index?

http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailycha ... rest_index

An index of unrest in the Arab world

IN THIS week's print edition we ran a table showing a number of indicators for members of the Arab League. By adding a few more and ascribing different weights to them we have come up with the Shoe-thrower's index, which aims to predict where the scent of jasmine may spread next. Some factors are hard to put a number on and are therefore discounted. For instance, dissent is harder in countries with a very repressive secret police (like Libya). The data on unemployment were too spotty to be comparable and so this important factor is discounted too. We took out the Comoros and Djibouti, which do not have a great deal in common with the rest of the group, and removed the Palestinian territories, Sudan and Somalia for lack of data. The chart below is the result of ascribing a weighting of 35% for the share of the population that is under 25; 15% for the number of years the government has been in power; 15% for both corruption and lack of democracy as measured by existing indices; 10% for GDP per person; 5% for an index of censorship and 5% for the absolute number of people younger than 25. Jordan comes out surprisingly low on the chart, which suggests the weighting might need to be tweaked. Post suggestions in the comments below and we will refine it.