Bahrain GP situation: postponed, reinstated, cancelled

[manchild]

I can't believe Mclaren will risk that much:

Vintage McLaren cars at GP weekend

Posted on » Wednesday, April 18, 2012

A UNIQUE collection of historic cars from one of the most successful constructors in motorsport history will be on display this weekend at the Formula One Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix.

Ten cars, all from renowned Formula One team McLaren, range from their 1970 M15 Indycar driven by Earl Williams to the 2008 title-winning McLaren-Mercedes MP4/23 of Lewis Hamilton.

They will be among the many world-class attractions on hand for fans off the race track at the upcoming Formula One spectacular, which takes place from Friday at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) in Sakhir.

The McLaren collection will be located at a specially erected tent at BIC's Formula One Village vending area, which will be the biggest ever in the history of the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The exhibition will not only tell the story of the British team's 46 years of Formula One success, but also give an insight into its dramatic campaigns in the Indianapolis 500 race.

The full collection consists of the 1970 McLaren M15 in Indycar and the 1972 McLaren M21 in Formula Two; along with its Formula One cars such as the 1982 McLaren MP4/1B, the 1984 McLaren MP4/2, the 1988 McLaren-Honda MP4/4, the 1989 McLaren-Honda MP4/5, the 1993 McLaren-Ford MP4/8, 1998 McLaren-Mercedes MP4/13, the 2003 McLaren-Mercedes MP4/17D and the 2008 McLaren-Mercedes MP4/23.

Those interested in attending this year's Bahrain Grand Prix are advised to scoop their tickets up today to avoid disappointment. Race fans and entertainment-seekers must not miss out on the region's biggest sporting and social event of the year!

Tickets can be purchased at several locations across Bahrain. They are available at BIC's Welcome Centre located at the circuit entrance in Sakhir; at the BIC stands in Seef Mall and Bahrain City Centre; and at the all-new BIC counters at Batelco Retail Shops in Arad, Hamad Town and at The Centre in Nuwaidrat.

Apart from these sites, tickets can also be bought online at http://www.bahraingp.com or by calling the BIC Hotline on 17450000.

[WhiteBlue]

The McLaren collection will be located at a specially erected tent at BIC's Formula One Village vending area, which will be the biggest ever in the history of the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Another inviting target for the petrol bomb swingers. Should make for great graphic coverage of the GP if the tent with the race cars goes up in flames.

[Maelstrom]

I can't believe Mclaren will risk that much:

They are risking their drivers and technicians so why not a few cars?

[manchild]

I can't believe Mclaren will risk that much:

They are risking their drivers and technicians so why not a few cars?

No one (except regime provocateurs or Islamic fanatics mixed with protesters) would throw Molotov-cocktails in paddock, while historic cars displayed in a tent are the sitting ducks, they can't run for shelter and have no bodyguards.

In general, having in mind overall climate surrounding this GP, such display is just additional finger in the eye of people who protest against regime. Teams should have boycotted, and if not, than at least kept low profile and run the race, without any additional events.

[myurr]

The McLaren collection will be located at a specially erected tent at BIC's Formula One Village vending area, which will be the biggest ever in the history of the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Another inviting target for the petrol bomb swingers. Should make for great graphic coverage of the GP if the tent with the race cars goes up in flames.

Then the petrol bomb swingers deserve to be fully suppressed. However I have the feeling that any suppression will be widely criticised and some people on this board will jump at the chance to criticise the regime and the FIA for trying to stage a sporting event.

No matter how just the cause, targeting civilians and public buildings with petrol bombs would be taking far too far. Equally cancelling events because of a fear of what amounts to terrorism is both cowardly and rewarding the threat of violence.

[myurr]

Teams should have boycotted, and if not, than at least kept low profile and run the race, without any additional events.

Should teams organise in support of regime change in the countries they are asked to race? That is what you are advocating.

You will find people against every single regime or government on the entire grid, who gets to choose which ones you pander to and which get ignored?

[WhiteBlue]

Then the petrol bomb swingers deserve to be fully suppressed. However I have the feeling that any suppression will be widely criticised and some people on this board will jump at the chance to criticise the regime and the FIA for trying to stage a sporting event.

You should know better. The criticism is not about staging a sporting event but about using a sporting event to spread propaganda lies. I doubt that any fan here will condone burning historic race cars for demonstrations. The unfortunate truth nevertheless is that such incidents could be provoked by the Al-Khalifa and FiA power and propaganda play.

No matter how just the cause, targeting civilians and public buildings with petrol bombs would be taking far too far. Equally cancelling events because of a fear of what amounts to terrorism is both cowardly and rewarding the threat of violence.

What a neat example of circular logic. It reminds me of Gorge W. Bush's justification for enduring US presence in Iraq. Before you allocate the moral high ground to any party it would make sense to identify the arsonist who started the fire.

[Richard]

Just a second, what's the evidence behind these fears?

There's never been concern about security of the circuit or teams. The race was cancelled last year due to concern about safety of visitors on public streets with tear gas and live gunfire.

The nature of the protests has been civil disobedience on the streets and camping in a public square rather than aggression and terrorism.

[manchild]

...You will find people against every single regime or government on the entire grid, who gets to choose which ones you pander to and which get ignored?

I'm "advocating" general principle - Every country whose regime directly organizes GP, while violating human rights or leading any kind of military action against civilians on their own soil, should be expelled from F1. When it matters 2012 season, that would mean China, Bahrain and Turkey. That is a small loss for worldwide F1 fans, and potentially a big gain for those nations, as it nears them to liberation from oppressors and society of equal citizens.

Just a second, what's the evidence behind these fears?

There's never been concern about security of the circuit or teams. The race was cancelled last year due to concern about safety of visitors on public streets with tear gas and live gunfire.

The nature of the protests has been civil disobedience on the streets and camping in a public square rather than aggression and terrorism.

As I've pointed out in my previous post, no one (except regime provocateurs or Islamic fanatics mixed with protesters) would throw Molotov-cocktails in paddock, but we never know who would dare to abuse such big event to put the blame on the other side.

Staging a terrorist attack, while the whole world is watching GP, would be great opportunity for Bahrain regime to show protesters as evil ones that should be hunted down, and I'm 100% sure that staying on power means to them much more than staying in F1 calendar.

Besides initial conflict, there is also a threat of Islamic fanatics who could infiltrate among protesters and cause real, intentional terrorist attack.

If something like that would happen, and violence erupts to gunfire, than no one from F1 caravan would be safe. Even common assault rifle bullet can kill at distance of several kilometers.

[kris]

.."violating human rights" is a sensitive and a touchy subject.
Who would be responsible for deciding which country violates human rights and who do not? FIA?

[WhiteBlue]

The nature of the protests has been civil disobedience on the streets and camping in a public square rather than aggression and terrorism.

For the last three months since Al-Khalifa have started their "UniF1ed - one nation in celebration" propaganda there has been an escalation of violence by protesters in the villages. Hundreds of Molotov cocktails will be routinely thrown during many of the demonstrations.

One protestor organization has written to Bernie Ecclestone and has announced that the GP will be specifically targeted unless the race is cancelled.

Respected motor journalists and historian Mike Lawrence has pointed to parallels of the Cuban pre revolution days 1958 when the protesters kidnapped Juan Manuel Fangio.

He also compared incidents in Germany and Britain when the track had been invaded by disgruntled workers and defrocked priests who demonstrated against F1 for one reason or another. Obviously such action could easily be carried out by Bahrain protesters and with much graver consequences. Among the many people arrested and tortured in Bahrain are several employees of the circuit who are all needed now to run the race. There will be hundreds of people with all kind of access to the track who can easily transport dangerous materials into the compound for other people to use.

You can think from red paint thrown on the track over petrol bombs, suicide runners and remotely controlled vehicles or model aircraft. If you think about it with honesty nothing of that sort can be excluded and I doubt that security can be airtight.

[myurr]

The nature of the protests has been civil disobedience on the streets and camping in a public square rather than aggression and terrorism.

For the last three months since Al-Khalifa have started their "UniF1ed - one nation in celebration" propaganda there has been an escalation of violence by protesters in the villages. Hundreds of Molotov cocktails will be routinely thrown during many of the demonstrations.

One protestor organization has written to Bernie Ecclestone and has announced that the GP will be specifically targeted unless the race is cancelled.

Respected motor journalists and historian Mike Lawrence has pointed to parallels of the Cuban pre revolution days 1958 when the protesters kidnapped Juan Manuel Fangio.

He also compared incidents in Germany and Britain when the track had been invaded by disgruntled workers and defrocked priests who demonstrated against F1 for one reason or another. Obviously such action could easily be carried out by Bahrain protesters and with much graver consequences. Among the many people arrested and tortured in Bahrain are several employees of the circuit who are all needed now to run the race. There will be hundreds of people with all kind of access to the track who can easily transport dangerous materials into the compound for other people to use.

You can think from red paint thrown on the track over petrol bombs, suicide runners and remotely controlled vehicles or model aircraft. If you think about it with honesty nothing of that sort can be excluded and I doubt that security can be airtight.

Are you seriously suggesting that had the defrocked priest sent a letter to Bernie saying he was going to target the GP then the race should not have been staged?

There are threats against all kinds of building and events around the world and at some point the rest of the world needs to stand up and get on with life.

I understand that you disagree with the regime. I'm with you on that. But frankly the sport should not be getting itself caught up in that. At worst they should publicly slap down the UniF1ed campaign, but at the same time unless you want regime change what is so bad about a campaign that aims to unify the people. You may personally disagree with who is organising the campaign, and may wish to support the people who look to overthrow them, but should the FIA be deciding to slap down a regime you don't like for spreading a message saying that they want F1 to bring the people together as a whole to celebrate the sport?

Would it be wrong for America to run a unif1ed style campaign if there are Muslim protests supporting Al Qaeda? I'm sure that wouldn't happen, but there are many people around the world who would support Al Qaeda over and above the USA. Why should your views about a particular regime count more than theirs?

You cannot simply dismiss this as a circular argument, it is fundamental to everything you are supporting. You have made a judgement about the regime, you have chosen to support the protesters, you have chosen to allow their threats to shape your views, and you have decided that the FIA must be corrupt to want the event to go ahead. Many people will support you, many people will disagree with you, and many people will think that other races should be banned for the same reasons you think the Bahrain GP should not go ahead.

Why should your opinion be the only one that is right?

[WhiteBlue]

I do not claim the only truth for me. Please, have your own opinion about the race, Bahrain and the role of the FiA. I just care for my own point of view and make sure it is consistent with the facts. I have learned quite a lot of new things that I did not know during this debate although most of it comes from another board with users who have local residence and a broader understanding of the political implication than the technical fans here. I'm not interested to go into a more detailed discussion of your view, unless we can focus on one or two really significant points which may enhance the understanding of the forum. So I leave it to you to propose some focal points which we may discuss.

[myurr]

Fair enough, how about these three points:

- Should sport care about the politics, internal divisions within a country, or the human rights of the population in countries that host a race?

- If so where should the line be drawn. Why is Bahrain bad but China, India, or the USA good?

- What level of threat should there be before an event is cancelled on security grounds?

[Hail22]

Fair enough, how about these three points:

- Should sport care about the politics, internal divisions within a country, or the human rights of the population in countries that host a race?

- If so where should the line be drawn. Why is Bahrain bad but China, India, or the USA good?

- What level of threat should there be before an event is cancelled on security grounds?

The FIA is based in France no? Thus they must/should apply the laws of human rights to their Ethos when it comes to operations.