With the F1 world now returned from Bahrain, the sport is assessing the fallout of one of the most controversial grands prix in history.

The drivers were conspicuously quiet over the saga in the island Kingdom, but – with no contract tying him down – former Force India driver Adrian Sutil admitted he was glad he was not there.

“In a situation like that, it is probably better not to go,” the German said on Sky Deutschland.

“On the one hand, the decision was made (to go to Bahrain), on the other hand, it’s very difficult when there are so many problems in a country.”

Red Bull reserve driver Sebastien Buemi, who has family living in Bahrain, does not agree at all.

“I arrived on Monday and I had no problem — maybe there were a few more police than two years ago, but nothing happened to me,” the Swiss insisted on Austrian Servus TV.

Force India and Sauber, however, witnessed Molotov cocktail attacks on their treks to and from the circuit.

And Caterham team spokesman Tom Webb told the Sun that there was “one minor incident when one of our (hire) vans slowed down in traffic and its occupants saw a local youth on the side of the main road brandishing a bottle with a rag stuffed in its neck”.

World champion and race winner Sebastian Vettel also admitted the feeling was tense in the paddock throughout the weekend.

“It was not easy for anyone,” the Red Bull driver admitted, according to SID news agency, “but I’m glad that nothing happened to any of us (in F1).”

And the Telegraph quotes Vettel adding: “Hopefully, we come back in the future when everything’s a little bit safer.”

Reuters reports that Vodafone, the main sponsor of the half Bahrain-owned McLaren team, sent no staff to the country and expressed concerns to the British outfit.

But Jim Wright, an F1 sponsorship expert, told the Guardian that he thinks while the sport’s image took a beating last weekend, sponsors will be happy.

“Most teams handled a difficult decision very well,” he said. “On that basis I think a lot of people would be pleased with that and happy to get involved with them.”

The television audience was also unaffected – even boosted – with the BBC reporting more viewers for Bahrain than Australia and Malaysia, and Germany revealing similarly strong figures.

Still, there remains criticism.

“Now is an opportunity to reflect,” former F1 driver Alex Zanardi told Tuttosport, “and make sure that major sporting events are assigned only to governments that deserve the honour of hosting them.

“Ecclestone is brilliant and has made formula one what it is, but he can’t administer races at any cost and above all else,” insisted the Italian.

Due to security fears, Force India sat out a practice session on Friday so that staff could return to their hotels in daylight.

F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone was reportedly enraged, and according to rumours got his revenge by instructing Formula One Management’s television cameras to ignore the Silverstone based team’s cars in qualifying.

“There was a bit of fuss about what we did,” deputy team principal Bob Fernley is quoted by Spain’s AS newspaper, “and it was not easy, but I think it turned out to be the right response.

“We had a lot of pressure, our attitude was not well received,” he confirmed, “but I think that we had a duty of care to our employees, and to do the right thing by the team.”

Fernando Alonso has backed his beleaguered teammate Felipe Massa.

Massa is fighting to save his Ferrari seat, but his team boss Stefano Domenicali insists the Brazilian also “needs to improve” for the sake of his very “future in formula one”.

On the other hand, the Maranello based team is more than enthralled with the occupant of the sister F2012, Fernando Alonso.

In fact, Domenicali told El Mundo newspaper last weekend that Ferrari has a “moral obligation” to the Spaniard, that might also extend to his involvement “in the important issues”.

One important issue is the identity of his 2013 teammate.

On Massa, Alonso is quoted by El Pais newspaper after Massa finished ninth in Bahrain: “He had a great start, pulled away from the traffic and ran a super race.

“But we didn’t discover this just now: Felipe has won in Bahrain twice. He doesn’t need to prove anything,” said Alonso.

Sauber has become the second formula one team to reveal a brush with Bahrain’s civil unrest.

Force India was involved in a Molotov cocktail attack earlier this week, resulting in two team members returning to the UK and Nico Hulkenberg and Paul di Resta sitting out the second practice session on Friday.

Now, the Swiss team Sauber has revealed it saw masked protesters throwing petrol bombs whilst returning from the circuit to their Manama hotel late on Thursday.

“At 20.50 the 12 mechanics, being on that minibus to the Novotel, noticed fire on the medial strip of the highway,” said spokesman Hanspeter Brack.

“On the opposite lane there was no traffic. The team members saw a few masked people running from there over to their lane where a bottle was burning as well.”

No one was hurt.

F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone on Friday played down the latest drama, accusing reporters of “wanting a story” and offering to ride in the cars with the frightened Force India team members if they are afraid of Bahrain’s night.

A member of the Force India team is returning to Europe following a firebomb attack in Bahrain.

The BBC reports that an incident occurred near a Force India hire car as members of the Silverstone based team came to a halt in a traffic jam after leaving the circuit.

No one was hurt, but “one team member not involved in the incident asked to return to the UK”, the BBC said.

“A spokesman said they were not the target of the attack, which took place on the outskirts of the capital Manama,” the report added.

The news was confirmed by The Times’ Kevin Eason, who said the incident involved a Molotov cocktail, as well as Telegraph correspondent Tom Cary.

Cary said Force India confirmed team members were “momentarily caught up in (a) disruption”.

“One team member will go home, they tell me,” he added.

 With the 2012 season now just weeks away, the most serious doubts yet about April’s returning Bahrain grand prix have emerged.
Reports claim that, on the eve of the one year anniversary of the bloody ‘Day of Rage’ protests that led to the cancellation of the race and test in early 2011, violent clashes involving tear gas-firing police have broken out.

“Formula one is monitoring events there”, a report in the Guardian newspaper said.

“Formula one’s governing body is keeping a low profile because it doesn’t want to be part of the mounting pressure and speculation,” added journalist Paul Weaver.

International news agencies including Reuters and the Associated Press reported this week’s clashes involve protesters trying to reoccupy the symbolic scenes of the 2011 violence.

“Traffic came to a standstill on the main thoroughfare into the capital (Manama), and teargas canisters, rubber pellets and rocks littered the highway,” said Reuters, adding that elsewhere “youths threw petrol bombs, iron bars and rocks” and police returned fire with “stun grenades”.

The New York Times, meanwhile, referred to numerous

He reached his teammate Casey Stoner in the computation of the poles in his career won the World Championship in three classes (37). A great result for Pedrosa , back in pole position, the second of the season after Brno, this time with the stated goal of winning a victory to mortgage the third position in the league. With these conditions evidence, by his own admission, will not be easy …

” It ‘was a very difficult session, it was very hot, I could hardly breathe inside my helmet , “says Dani Pedrosa. ” At first I slipped and I did not expect this. Luckily we were able to return to the track, solve problems and win the second pole position this season.

I think it was possible to improve again, but unfortunately on my last run I met the traffic. However, it’s nice to be back on pole and I hope that our race pace is just as competitive. We must continue the work of setting up the bike and choose the right tire to face a tough race, because here our rivals are very competitive.

Will no doubt be a tough race especially as weather conditions will test your fitness level, I hope to stay focused and to repeat today’s result although opponents will not fail . “

The Williams-racing start in Qatar an initiative to make the roads safer – it is the first of its kind in the region
The Williams team is expanding its efforts to make the road safer. Together with the Qatar National Bank (QNB), the largest private bank in Qatar and the Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP) will start the team some safety campaigns to alert the population in Qatar on the dangers in traffic. One wants to move 25,000 residents to more cautious and forward-looking driving style.

Some team members of the racing team will hold lectures in schools and universities. QSTP will promote road safety through simulators, developed in the Williams factory and used for driving instruction, training and education are. The initiative in Qatar as well as other programs will run from Williams, including the partnership with DEKRA in Germany: The Williams program focuses on energy efficiency, education and road safety.

The campaign is the first of its kind in the region. It is intended to encompass all stages of life, not just the current driver, but also the future. As an incentive, a Williams-powered car in different places will be issued.
TMS

Before arriving in Korea, Bernie Ecclestone visited the site of next year’s inaugural Indian grand prix.

According to local reports, the F1 chief executive gave the facility 40 kilometres from Delhi a thumbs-up, despite the recent international criticism of the Indian capital’s hosting of the Commonwealth Games.

“Very, very happy,” he told journalists.  “Much better than I thought.

“I have no fears about the circuit.  After the Commonwealth Games, silly people said ‘be careful’ but I’m so happy about the progress of work.

“It is going to be much better than many tracks,” added the 79-year-old.

Ecclestone countered reports that the airport will struggle with F1-levels of flow, or that the local infrastructure will not cope with the traffic.

“The only thing left is more hotels coming up in surrounding areas,” he insisted.

The Briton blamed the media for the negative hype about Delhi’s hosting of the Commonwealth Games, and pointed out that “different people” are organising the F1 event.

“I will come back if necessary but I don’t think it will be necessary before (the 2011 race in) October.  These people are quite capable, and I don’t see any problem,” said Ecclestone.

Ecclestone arrived at Korea’s new F1 circuit on Thursday.

Found on the podium at Motegi and the victory at Sepang, Valentino Rossi has encountered more problems than expected this weekend at Phillip Island. At the end of formal qualifications obtained where only the eighth time is the third row are two aspects that have prevented the 9-time World Champion to do better.

First one still not optimal balance of his Yamaha YZR-M1 with a set up far from defined “optimal.” Secondly traffic and a series of unfortunate events that allowed him to improve on the grid for tomorrow looked forward to a tough race on paper.

“Today I was really unlucky, “said Valentino Rossi. “With the two softer tires to do the time I’m getting a good grid position. Before I met in trajectory Espargaro and Hayden, then it started raining and so I was unable to improve.

Start from the third row and will be a tough race, especially because we have not found a good race pace and we must work more on set-up. This evening and tomorrow morning we will try to find a solution to improve and have a good race.

The weather not only the ideal, this is a real shame because the track is fantastic and this cold you can not drive at its best, it takes several laps to send the tires up to temperature. I expect a very tough race, but we’ll see what we can do. “

Meetings have been arranged to address the issues that arose after Sunday’s European grand prix.

Fernando Alonso and Ferrari were furious when a mere and late drive-through penalty for Lewis Hamilton’s safety car overtaking in Valencia still allowed the McLaren driver to finish second.

But also unhappy were several of the nine drivers given 5 second time penalties for driving too quickly during the same safety car period.

“Vitaly (Petrov) came in too quickly and we accept the penalty for him, but it’s hard to understand Robert (Kubica)’s penalty,” said Renault’s chief engineer Alan Permane.

Also seeking clarification is Mercedes, after Michael Schumacher found a red light at the end of the pitlane despite the fact a line of traffic was not yet formed up behind the safety car.

“There was a green light for a moment and then suddenly it went red again.  We believe that this was not correct,” said Michael Schumacher.

Alonso wrote on his Ferrari blog: “I was pleased to hear that the FIA has reacted promptly, calling an extraordinary meeting of the Sporting Working Group and I am confident, certain even, that all the points up for discussion will be cleared up in a comprehensive fashion.”

It is understood the meeting will be held next week.

Moreover, Mercedes’ Ross Brawn told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport that the issues will be discussed by the team bosses at Silverstone next Wednesday.

“There are too many unanswered questions that can be interpreted either way,” he said.

(GMM)

Heikki Kovalainen arrived in Valencia on Friday with just hours to spare before morning practice.

We reported on Thursday that the Finn had been absent in the paddock on Thursday, with his team Lotus staging a pitlane photoshoot for the marque’s 500th race without him.

Like many figures in the world of formula one, he was held up on the way to the Spanish port city by air traffic controller strikes in France.

Kovalainen had sat at Geneva airport for many hours waiting for his flight delay to end, before deciding to commence the 1,200km trip by road.

Before outpacing his teammate Jarno Trulli in both 90 minute practice sessions, he confirmed he had arrived in Valencia shortly after 5am.

And before donning his green overalls, his first duty was a “few hours sleep”, but still looked tired when he pulled on his balaclava at 10am.

“I feel fine,” he insisted.  “It’s just one night with a little less sleep than usual, so it’s no big deal.  My physio Petri and I shared the driving, so I feel absolutely fine.”

(GMM)

A notable absentee in the Valencia paddock on Thursday was Heikki Kovalainen.

Like many figures in the world of formula one, the Finn has been held up on the way to the Spanish port city by strikes in France.

The strikes, involving air traffic controllers, are about proposed reforms to the French pension system.

Lotus driver Kovalainen’s flight from Geneva was delayed for so long he decided to commence a 1,200km road trip to Valencia.

Mercedes also confirmed that Ross Brawn and Michael Schumacher were delayed for the same reason en route to Valencia, “but they are both here now”.

(GMM)

On a sunny Sunday afternoon in Montrèal, Hispania Racing, HRT F1 Team faught hard for positions with other teams again. Bruno Senna and Karun Chandhok got off to a good start and stayed out of trouble in the first lap. Due to other team’s difficulties at the beginning of the race, both drivers moved up places and kept on closing the gap to their competitors. Unfortunately, Bruno Senna had to retire early in the race due to a gearbox issue. His teammate, however, had a good pace and was battling for good positions during the race. In the end, he finished 18th. The Spanish team had a real racing feeling today and was able to gain more experience.

Dr Colin Kolles, Team Principal:
“Today, we really could race with other teams and were fighting hard for good positions with the other teams.  We were on a two-stopp-strategy like the top six drivers. On one side it was a good race because we could beat Virgin on track. But on the other hand I think that we could have had a better result. Bruno unfortunately had a gear box problem and this is why he had to stop the race.”

Karun Chandhok, Race driver #20:
“Obviously I didn’t drive at all yesterday and it was a good race under these circumstances. We were racing both Virgins and I was eight seconds ahead of Timo Glock even before he stopped in the end. I am quite pleased, at the end realistically we were only racing those three cars and we were ahead of them. It was a tough race with the traffic and everybody was struggling with the tyres. The team did a great job today and the guys did good pit stops under pressure today. The car was reliable, which is what we were struggling with this weekend.”

Bruno Senna, Race driver #21:
“We had a gearbox failure apparently. The second gear was lost and there was no way to finish the race without it on this track. So, we decided to retire which is really disappointing as it could have been a good race for us. Now, we have to make the best of this weekend and focus on the next race in Valencia.”

Source: Hispania Racing Team

Jun.9 (GMM)  F1 drivers could be penalised by the FIA if they behave badly on the roads, Jean Todt has suggested.

Lewis Hamilton was arrested after caught ‘hoon’ driving in Melbourne earlier this year and later charged and summoned to court.

But when asked about the incident in Turkey two weeks ago, the McLaren driver said the local authorities were “loving the publicity”.

Victorian traffic commissioner Ken Lay was unimpressed with Hamilton’s “flippant” reaction.  “The bottom line is people die on our roads because of hoon behaviour and he has set a really bad example,” he said.

Also apparently unimpressed is FIA president Todt, who was rumoured to be considering commissioning a protocols list informing drivers about respecting the unique rules and practices of each GP host nation they visit.

It has additionally been rumoured that drivers could face FIA penalties if convicted of committing traffic offenses.

“I have actually asked this question,” Todt admitted to the French newspaper Le Parisien.

“There is an incompatibility between the status of a role model champion, and a possible infringement on the road.  We are therefore trying to see whether to do something, and how.”

Rumours persist that this weekend’s grand prix will be the last in Turkey.

Since the Istanbul Park venue hosted its first race in 2005, the layout – featuring the now famous Turn 8 – has received widespread praise.

But spectator numbers have been conspicuously low.  “It’s an enormous market in Turkey.  Eventually they will get themselves sorted out,” F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone said earlier this year.

But the German newspaper Die Welt now reports that the track, managed by Ecclestone, is too far from the city and on the wrong side of the Bosphorus strait, causing long and frustrating rides from hotels through thick traffic.

“The rumours are getting louder that the fastest circus in the world will no longer make the journey to Istanbul,” read the report.

(GMM)