Damon Hill speaks in favour of 2012 Bahrain Grand Prix – Formula 1 news
Damon Hill has spoke in favour of 2012 Bahrain Grand Prix to go ahead as planned.
The Bahrain GP for 2012 has been amid some concern as the civil unrest that started in 2011 caused last year’s Grand Prix to be cancelled.
The country was faced with turmoil as there were a lot of protests and riots in the country. Human rights agencies called for a boycott. F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone though remained adamant that the Bahrain GP will go ahead as planned but after some media and
political pressure it was decided that it will be cancelled.
Prior to the 2012 season Ecclestone has suggested that he will stand up for the Bahrain GP to go ahead as planned unless something significant enough. The Bahrain organisers have also maintained that the situation in the country has changed and it is not
unsafe for F1 to hold the event.
Human rights center in Bahrain though has called for a boycott, the group asked the teams and drivers to boycott in order to stop the government from showing the world that everything is ok when in fact things are not that way.
Hill after visiting the country has said that he has listened to the stories of both sides and understands that the situation is not as bad as it has been portrayed. The government has done a lot to improve relations with the people.
The Bahrain organisers have already rehired the employees who lost their jobs over their roles in the protests against the government.
“I do not like seeing people shot and brutalised,” Hill told The Times. “I was frustrated last year that Formula One did not raise its voice against what was happening.”
“I listened to a lot of people there, including eye-witnesses. I believe they are making change for the better. There is no question they have issues - but every country has issues; we had riots here in the UK not so long ago. I heard both sides of the story
and, this time, Formula One can go to Bahrain with a clear conscience and not just as a tool for some sort of cover-up,” he added.
Tags: