03/06/2011
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's meeting of the World Motor Sport Council, Damon Hill and Max Mosley have both urged Formula One not to return to Bahrain this year.
Thus far, the F1 community has chosen to remain silent, though Williams said, following the cancellation of the original March date, that they would probably have boycotted the race. However, today, hours before the WMSC makes its decision, 1996 world champion Hill and former FIA president Mosley have spoken out.
"If I was president today, Formula One would go to Bahrain over my dead body," said Mosley, according to ESPN. "It cannot happen.
"The grand prix will be used to paint a picture of Bahrain that will be false," he added. "They will be attempting to use the grand prix to support what they are doing, almost using Formula One as an instrument of repression. There is only one reason Formula One is in Bahrain and that is a political reason. To go will be a public-relations disaster and sponsors will want their liveries removed."
Meanwhile, British Racing Drivers' Club president Hill told the Daily Telegraph. "I am not a spokesman for Formula One. But I am surprised and disappointed that there is a lack of intelligent comment coming from the sport at a time when we should be trying to promote it in a positive way, a way which recognises human values.
"Formula One, its teams, its drivers and its sponsors, has to stand for values which are positive and aspirational," he continued. "The ruling family in Bahrain have said they want to stage a race there, and we all do. But F1 must align itself with progression, not repression, and a lot of demonstrations in that country have been brutally repressed. You are either aware of that or you're not.
"It is clear, whatever anyone says, that some very violent events have taken place in Bahrain. It is not our country. It is their country. But we can't just fluff over it and pretend that the difficulties there don't exist, or that they will sort themselves out. It is an over-simplification to say that the rulers there are the bad guys and the demonstrators are the good guys. But we cannot pretend that the political situation there is not a factor, because it is.
"It is important that Formula One is not seen to be only interested in putting on the show, whatever the circumstances. You can't just base your decision to hold a race in a country on that country's ability to pay."
Keen not to offend, the most likely scenario is that the WMSC will cancel this year's event on the basis that it cannot be rescheduled logistically, rather than cancelling it on ethical grounds.