Bahrain GP: Force India staff leave after petrol bomb
Drivers confident of security over race weekend.
MANAMA:
The violent reality of Bahrain’s political unrest moved closer to Formula One on Thursday when the Force India team said two of their staff had asked to go home after colleagues were caught up in a petrol bomb incident outside Manama.
A spokesperson for the British team said one of those concerned was a team member, the other a contractor brought in for Sunday’s race. He said four team members had been returning in their vehicle to their Manama hotel from the Sakhir circuit when they were caught up in the incident on the motorway.
The Bahrain International Circuit issued a statement referring to ‘an isolated incident’ involving a handful of illegal protesters acting violently towards police.
Meanwhile, police maintained a low-key presence around the circuit on Thursday, although that was likely to be stepped up considerably closer to the event and in the evening when teams are returning to Manama. Teams at the circuit were holding news conferences as usual, without any reference to the political situation and tension around them. Nothing in their race previews indicated the event was anything other than a normal round of the 20-race championship.
Formula One last visited Bahrain in 2010, with last year’s race cancelled due to the protests, and the race is the biggest sporting event on the tiny Gulf island, with a global television audience of tens of millions.
De la Rosa confident of security
The chairman of the Formula One Grand Prix Drivers Association (GPDA), Pedro de la Rosa, said he had no concerns over safety at this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix.
The 41-year-old Spaniard, who drives for the Hispania team and is respected as one of the senior veterans of the F1 circuit, after 87 races since 1999, told reporters that he had complete faith in the ruling body, the International Motoring Federarion (FIA).
De la Rosa spoke at the Sakhir circuit where the controversial event begins with practice sessions today. He said he had not noticed much difference in the on-the-ground security arrangements compared to his previous visits to the Gulf state.
“It’s not a concern,” he said. “Our view is that we don’t know about the situation here in Bahrain well enough to have a strong opinion about it and we rely on the people who have done all of the research, which is the FIA.
“We haven’t looked into any more details. We trust people that have done it. That’s the best that you can do - and stay away from the controversy. We are sportsmen and we have to perform at the track full-stop.”
Several drivers have talked about the possibility of making extra security arrangements, but de la Rosa said he is not treating Bahrain this year any differently to any previous running of the event.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 20th, 2012.
The violent reality of Bahrain’s political unrest moved closer to Formula One on Thursday when the Force India team said two of their staff had asked to go home after colleagues were caught up in a petrol bomb incident outside Manama.
A spokesperson for the British team said one of those concerned was a team member, the other a contractor brought in for Sunday’s race. He said four team members had been returning in their vehicle to their Manama hotel from the Sakhir circuit when they were caught up in the incident on the motorway.
The Bahrain International Circuit issued a statement referring to ‘an isolated incident’ involving a handful of illegal protesters acting violently towards police.
Meanwhile, police maintained a low-key presence around the circuit on Thursday, although that was likely to be stepped up considerably closer to the event and in the evening when teams are returning to Manama. Teams at the circuit were holding news conferences as usual, without any reference to the political situation and tension around them. Nothing in their race previews indicated the event was anything other than a normal round of the 20-race championship.
Formula One last visited Bahrain in 2010, with last year’s race cancelled due to the protests, and the race is the biggest sporting event on the tiny Gulf island, with a global television audience of tens of millions.
De la Rosa confident of security
The chairman of the Formula One Grand Prix Drivers Association (GPDA), Pedro de la Rosa, said he had no concerns over safety at this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix.
The 41-year-old Spaniard, who drives for the Hispania team and is respected as one of the senior veterans of the F1 circuit, after 87 races since 1999, told reporters that he had complete faith in the ruling body, the International Motoring Federarion (FIA).
De la Rosa spoke at the Sakhir circuit where the controversial event begins with practice sessions today. He said he had not noticed much difference in the on-the-ground security arrangements compared to his previous visits to the Gulf state.
“It’s not a concern,” he said. “Our view is that we don’t know about the situation here in Bahrain well enough to have a strong opinion about it and we rely on the people who have done all of the research, which is the FIA.
“We haven’t looked into any more details. We trust people that have done it. That’s the best that you can do - and stay away from the controversy. We are sportsmen and we have to perform at the track full-stop.”
Several drivers have talked about the possibility of making extra security arrangements, but de la Rosa said he is not treating Bahrain this year any differently to any previous running of the event.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 20th, 2012.