John Shiels

http://on.aol.com/video/why-f1-is-ra...cards-headline

63Corvette

John with all the bad news we have had this week, I hope this doesn't turn into a disaster. We need F1 to be about the RACING, not the politics.

John Shiels

I am sure it will get worse as the want the publicity to their cause.

RX-Ben

This happened last year too. F1 is getting a bundle of cash for this.

Supercharged111

I was gonna ask why they'd want to go to a country that's so close to all the terrorist action, but since that place is loaded with money, I figure that's the reason.

Zoxxo

That's precisely the reason. Bernie goes whereever there are piles of money. That's why he's happiest (by far) when he can get non-democratic governments to pony up for F1 races and far less happy when having to deal with races where the public gets a say. In Bahrain, it's a "royal family" dictatorship (regardless of what their PR people say) where, like Hussein's Iraq, the minority runs the government and oppresses the majority. Needless to say, the majority isn't happy about it. The race itself is the pet project of Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa who, like so many of the ultra-rich in the region, likes to show off his wealth. And what better way than to have your own, personal Formula One race for you and your friends? Hence the protests against the race.

The race is sposored by Gulf Air. Gulf Air is wholly owned by the Bahrain government...

Here's a CNN story on this from last year to fill you in:
http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/20/world/...rain-unrest-f1

Z//

greendot

So when do we get the news that F1 is going to race in North Korea?

1991Z07

First, N. Korea would need to be able to AFFORD it. And they are so strapped for cash they can't even feed their populace (but you can certainly see that their leader certainly doesn't miss any meals).

John Shiels

soon as they decide to let another two million starve so they can give it to Bernie.

63Corvette

http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nbcnews...3127/#51583127

63Corvette

http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.com...-prix/related/

Zoxxo

We all knew that Bernie was slowly losing his mind but this one finally nails down that the process is complete. He simultaneously insults the Crown Prince of the country - the guy who pays him a *large* annual fee to hold the race - AND then tells every group of people around the world who are living under dictatorships and/or tyrants to simply "grin and bear it." Wow! Way to go, Bernie. How to put the F1 circus on the world-wide defensive in just a few simple sentences.

Just when you think you've seen/heard it all. Yet another billionaire who's completely out of touch with reality (not that there's necessarily anything wrong with that, mind you ) I'm sure the board at CVC is amused.

Z//