FIA rejects latest Bahrain axe rumours
Some publications this week said F1’s governing body
was in the process of drafting a statement announcing that
the Sakhir race has been cancelled due to security
concerns.
But the FIA’s director of communications Norman Howell
angrily denied those reports.
At the same time, Sheikh Abdullah bin Isa al-Khalifa,
Bahrain’s motor racing federation chief and also an
FIA world council member, admitted he could not guarantee
the safety of F1’s travelling personnel next month.
“There are no guarantees in this world,” he is
quoted by PA Sport, after admitting
“disturbances” in Bahrain are still taking
place.
“You could be (in danger) anywhere, even
Silverstone.
“All I can guarantee you is you will be as safe as at
any other grand prix.”
Asked if there will be extra security measures in place,
Khalifa answered: “No, absolutely not. It will
be life as normal.
“We’ve never had any violence towards foreigners
simply because they are foreigners or in F1.”
F1 industry monitor Formula Money has found that the Bahrain
grand prix is more commercially successful for teams and
trackside advertisers even than Monaco, Spa and Monza.
The publication also said that if the 2012 race is
cancelled, “the teams could lose $44.7m of prize
money”.
