Bahrain - What a rubbish place to start a Championship!

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 21 Feb 2011, 16:16

Finally, they took the correct decision. I am glad that it got cancelled as otherwise it would be a mess. I bet that Pommy Barsteward (he started this thread) never dreamt that this would happen.

Good that Australia will be the first race. Good that it gives space for the Barhainis to solve their problems. The bad is that now there is a 4 week hiatus of Formula 1 (unless they decide to do extra testing sessions). Bad for us and for some teams who are in the middle of the process of learning about their car...

P_Friesacher · Post by **P_Friesacher** » 21 Feb 2011, 16:19

I hope the race will be late enough in the championship so that we already know who will be champion - and can deservedly boycott the race then (if the current government remains in place, that is).

Paul Hayes · Post by **Paul Hayes** » 21 Feb 2011, 16:19

DanielPT wrote:Finally, they took the correct decision. I am glad that it got cancelled as otherwise it would be a mess. I bet that Pommy Barsteward (he started this thread) never dreamt that this would happen.

Good that Australia will be the first race. Good that it gives space for the Barhainis to solve their problems. The bad is that now there is a 4 week hiatus of Formula 1 (unless they decide to do extra testing sessions). Bad for us and for some teams who are in the middle of the process of learning about their car...

I'm sure they'll slot in an extra test session if they feel it necessary.

Henrique · Post by **Henrique** » 21 Feb 2011, 17:24

Hey, Pommy, are there any more races you don't like? Spill it out :twisted:

Mister Fungus · Post by **Mister Fungus** » 21 Feb 2011, 17:58

Definitely the correct decision. On the other hand, now we have to wait for the start of the season longer NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Aerospeed · Post by **Aerospeed** » 21 Feb 2011, 18:45

Good lord, am I dreaming??? :shock:

pinch, pinch, pinch, pinch some more. Hey you, can you spray some water from the hose? SPLASH. There, that's better.

No, I'm not.

LucaPacchiarini · Post by **LucaPacchiarini** » 21 Feb 2011, 19:30

F1 starting the season in a rubbish track in a horrible place :evil:

World Superbikes starting the season at the fabolous Philip Island track

Yannick · Post by **Yannick** » 21 Feb 2011, 19:34

Thank you to the people of Bahrain for wiping the Sakhir Circuit off of the 2011 Formula 1 calendar.

Forza Melbourne!

Dj_bereta · Post by **Dj_bereta** » 21 Feb 2011, 19:43

Melbourne are better for start a championship. Hoping for a rain race.

johnston21 · Post by **johnston21** » 21 Feb 2011, 21:58

Any other requests?

Pommy Barsteward wrote:I don't know about everyone else, but I am hacked off with us starting the championship in Bahrain.
Whilst I am at it - bring back Adelaide at the end of the season! Or start the season there.

F1000X · Post by **F1000X** » 21 Feb 2011, 22:58

DonTirri wrote: It's not my fault that America is full of rejectful politic(s)ians is it? From a governor whose sole credential is being a former movie star to another governor who just proves that Blonde-jokes are based on reality to a whole party who seem to still think theyre living in the middle ages. In my humble opinion any republican should... well, ill leave it that.

on topic: Bahrain is a crappy circuit, just drop it from the calendar please?

Ok, in that respect I totally agree with you. I just don't want you to slight all American politicians because we have a majority party (in my biased opinion) full of idiots. I think that concludes politics in this thread.

Second on Bahrain thing.

I'm glad to see the race was cancelled, I think it was the proper decision, I'd still love to see a race added during the season, either in Europe (IMOLA) or at Indianapolis, mainly because I want to go to Grand Prix, and probably can't afford a hotel room in Montreal.

Pommy Barsteward · Post by **Pommy Barsteward** » 21 Feb 2011, 23:33

As Murray walker said, when the doors opened revealing Martin Brundle in 1984...

YYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

whatisdeletrazdoing · Post by **whatisdeletrazdoing** » 22 Feb 2011, 03:38

Looks like we won't be racing in Bahrain this year...

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/bahrain-gp-called-off.html

Ross Prawn · Post by **Ross Prawn** » 22 Feb 2011, 10:42

johnston21 wrote:Any other requests?

Pommy Barsteward wrote:I don't know about everyone else, but I am hacked off with us starting the championship in Bahrain.
Whilst I am at it - bring back Adelaide at the end of the season! Or start the season there.

So conspiracy theorists stand up. The entire Middle East unrest has in fact been orchestrated by F1 Rejects, an Australian run website, in order to move the season opener to Melborne. All across the world regimes that have commissioned boring GP's on Tilke tracks are quaking in their boots.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 22 Feb 2011, 10:44

Erm, don't we already have another thread already discussing the Bahrain Grand Prix.

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 22 Feb 2011, 10:50

Ross Prawn wrote:
johnston21 wrote:Any other requests?

Pommy Barsteward wrote:I don't know about everyone else, but I am hacked off with us starting the championship in Bahrain.
Whilst I am at it - bring back Adelaide at the end of the season! Or start the season there.

So conspiracy theorists stand up. The entire Middle East unrest has in fact been orchestrated by F1 Rejects, an Australian run website, in order to move the season opener to Melborne. All across the world regimes that have commissioned boring GP's on Tilke tracks are quaking in their boots.

Next up, United Arab Emirates!

europeanminardi · Post by **europeanminardi** » 22 Feb 2011, 12:43

Ross Prawn wrote:
johnston21 wrote:Any other requests?

Pommy Barsteward wrote:I don't know about everyone else, but I am hacked off with us starting the championship in Bahrain.
Whilst I am at it - bring back Adelaide at the end of the season! Or start the season there.

So conspiracy theorists stand up. The entire Middle East unrest has in fact been orchestrated by F1 Rejects, an Australian run website, in order to move the season opener to Melborne. All across the world regimes that have commissioned boring GP's on Tilke tracks are quaking in their boots.

so, the whole upheaval was essentially Hermann Thielkes mistake?
he has tried to destabilise the Bahraini government before: remember the speeding ticket he got a while ago? civil disobedience.

whatisdeletrazdoing · Post by **whatisdeletrazdoing** » 22 Feb 2011, 14:17

oops...Sorry about that

Pedestrian · Post by **Pedestrian** » 22 Feb 2011, 18:40

Well, I'm not happy it got canceled. A race lost is still a race lost, no matter how bad the circuit. But then F1 is just entertainment and there are more important things. Good luck to the people of Bahrein anyway!

Now we have 5 weeks (at least - let's pray for stability in Australia

) to wait until the next race and to to divine future results on the basis of test times.

F1000X · Post by **F1000X** » 22 Feb 2011, 19:07

This just in: Jamie and Enoch have started a revolution that is quickly turning Melbourne into a battleground.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 23 Feb 2011, 21:01

No problem.

TomWazzleshaw · Post by **TomWazzleshaw** » 24 Feb 2011, 08:50

Ecclestone to try an fit Bahrain back in the calander.

Does he really have any other option financially?

Ross Prawn · Post by **Ross Prawn** » 24 Feb 2011, 10:15

F1000X wrote:This just in: Jamie and Enoch have started a revolution that is quickly turning Melbourne into a battleground.

They've hidden the beer. :mrgreen:

Phoenix · Post by **Phoenix** » 24 Feb 2011, 10:18

Wizzie wrote:Ecclestone to try an fit Bahrain back in the calander.

Does he really have any other option financially?

OK, so in another thread I tried to justify why there was a Bahrain GP, but I think that they should give the idea of celebrating a Bahrain GP a rest for this year, especially if the protests fail to bring any significant changes, if only to preserve the image of the sport, because as we all know no-one cared when things were peaceful, but now that the country is the subject of a lot of media attention, it's just not a wise decision.

Plus, I don't really want to look like I'm contradicting myself, but maybe Bernie Ecclestone could try to negotiate a bit with the Bahraini emir (who, it seems, has a very good relationship with Ecclestone) to try to yield a bit to the protester's interests as a condition to bring the GP back arguing that this would be the best way to restore peace, which is an essential requisite to host the race?

eagleash · Post by **eagleash** » 24 Feb 2011, 10:34

Phoenix wrote:
Wizzie wrote:Ecclestone to try an fit Bahrain back in the calander.

Does he really have any other option financially?

OK, so in another thread I tried to justify why there was a Bahrain GP, but I think that they should give the idea of celebrating a Bahrain GP a rest for this year, especially if the protests fail to bring any significant changes, if only to preserve the image of the sport, because as we all know no-one cared when things were peaceful, but now that the country is the subject of a lot of media attention, it's just not a wise decision.

Plus, I don't really want to look like I'm contradicting myself, but maybe Bernie Ecclestone could try to negotiate a bit with the Bahraini emir (who, it seems, has a very good relationship with Ecclestone) to try to yield a bit to the protester's interests as a condition to bring the GP back arguing that this would be the best way to restore peace, which is an essential requisite to host the race?

Yes; kind of my point in our discussion in the other thread, maintain contact & exert gentle influence....

Aerospeed · Post by **Aerospeed** » 25 Feb 2011, 02:23

Wizzie wrote:Ecclestone to try an fit Bahrain back in the calander.

Does he really have any other option financially?

The only time I can think of when he could easily fit in the "new" Bahrain GP...

...is in the middle of the summer break. GAH! Well, we're better off without Bahrain anyways.

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 25 Feb 2011, 11:26

Another probable place would be right after Abu Dhabi. Can you imagine the title being decided there?

Phoenix · Post by **Phoenix** » 25 Feb 2011, 22:11

DanielPT wrote:Another probable place would be right after Abu Dhabi. Can you imagine the title being decided there?

No, and in all fairness, given the mood I am lately this is the last thing I want to imagine...

Myrvold · Post by **Myrvold** » 26 Feb 2011, 04:06

DanielPT wrote:Another probable place would be right after Abu Dhabi. Can you imagine the title being decided there?

No, but I can imagine it being decided at Interlagos - the last race.

Post by **Londoner** » 26 Feb 2011, 12:46

Looks like, according to this, that Williams would have boycotted Bahrain had it gone ahead.

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2011/02/26/262/

thehemogoblin · Post by **thehemogoblin** » 26 Feb 2011, 18:42

East Londoner wrote:Looks like, according to this, that Williams would have boycotted Bahrain had it gone ahead.

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2011/02/26/262/

I doubt that. Aren't there hefty penalties for teams that miss races?

Post by **mario** » 26 Feb 2011, 19:25

thehemogoblin wrote:
East Londoner wrote:Looks like, according to this, that Williams would have boycotted Bahrain had it gone ahead.

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2011/02/26/262/

I doubt that. Aren't there hefty penalties for teams that miss races?

There are very substantial penalties for doing so, since it would be considered as a breach of the Concorde Agreement and the terms of competition that the FIA outlines. Normally, you have to at least attempt to qualify for a race to avoid penalisation, with the only other possible exception, I think, being a particular set of circumstances if the main driver is injured. It is, of course, the reason why the Arrows team deliberately failed to qualify in the French GP in 2002 - by at least participating and presenting two eligible cars, they avoided being awarded any penalties for failing to participate.

However, the circumstances around this particular race before it was cancelled were very different. We had an official warning from the UK Government - bearing in mind that almost all the teams are based in the UK - advising against all non essential travel, and it was clear that the race was going to be a target of popular discontent. At the time, the Bahraini Government was using considerable, and in some instances lethal, force to repress the riots, and at the time it looked as if no peaceful resolution was forthcoming. Therefore, when Williams were considering events, they could rightly be forgiven for fearing for the safety of their employees in the face of what looked to be sustained rioting.

In those circumstances, therefore, Williams could probably, and quite reasonably, invoked the concept of "force majeure" due to rebellion, insurrection or a similar concept making it impossible or impractical for them to attend the race. If accepted, and they would have probably had a good defence, then the Williams team could have been judged to not be in breach of the Concorde Agreement, and therefore not liable for penalties. Judging by the comments that they have made, it seems that other teams were probably considering the move (most likely raised in FOTA discussions); presumably, they would have made sure that their defence was watertight if they all agreed to not participate.

eagleash · Post by **eagleash** » 26 Feb 2011, 23:56

The Concorde Agreement would be completely unenforceable in the event of; "War & kindred risks, (whether War be declared or not)"

Phoenix · Post by **Phoenix** » 27 Feb 2011, 19:45

Is Williams' decision related to the fact Maldonado declares himself to be a socialist?

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 28 Feb 2011, 16:02

europeanminardi wrote:Third, dear Bernie, last time I checked, there were no protests at Spielberg, Zandvoort, Magny Cours, Indianapolis, Imola and Buenos Aires. Do you old, rich, disgusting dwarf still think it's a good idea to move an euro-centric sport from Europe to Bahrain and Abu Dhabi or Turkey?

There's no money in any of those circuits you mention, and F1 is high on debt. The move to Asian places where money flows has been agreed on by everyone in F1, if we're honest.

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 01 Mar 2011, 13:19

It looks like Bahrain could be sloted in the summer break...

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/89681

Now that is what I call a daft idea. And dangerous too...

Phoenix · Post by **Phoenix** » 01 Mar 2011, 15:00

"Formula 1 must never be political - full stop. My job is it to do the best deals possible for Formula One - to secure jobs."

Bernie Ecclestone dixit. Chapeau.

By the way, I was happening to listen to this song while reading this. Seems quite appropriate.

Jeroen Krautmeir · Post by **Jeroen Krautmeir** » 01 Mar 2011, 22:50

GP2 Asia. Yeah Right

Myrvold · Post by **Myrvold** » 01 Mar 2011, 23:42

Let's hope for a weekend without injuries... After the new layout was finished, there has been a fair share of bad crashes.

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 02 Mar 2011, 10:29

Jeroen Krautmeir wrote:GP2 Asia. Yeah Right

And they should do the same with the F1 Barhain GP...