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Force India staff leave Bahrain after bomb
Source: Agencies |
April 20, 2012, Friday
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VIOLENCE marred Bahrain's controversial Grand Prix race as a firebomb exploded near Force India team members and protesters clashed with police in the lead-up to the Formula One practice runs set to begin today.
The incident prompted F1 officials to reassure participants that despite the violence, Bahrain was safe.
Speaking to reporters at the Sakhir circuit outside Manama, chairman of the Formula One Grand Prix Drivers Association, Pedro de la Rosa, said safety is "not a concern," adding that he had full faith in the decision by the International Motoring Federation to hold the event despite mounting tensions in the kingdom.
Four members of the Force India team were stuck in traffic when a firebomb exploded as they returned from the Sakhir circuit to their hotel late on Wednesday, Bahrain International Circuit Chairman Zayed al-Zayani told Autosport magazine.
Nobody was injured, but two members of the team, based at Silverstone in England, decided afterwards to leave Bahrain and return home.
The four mechanics apparently got caught up in a clash between protesters and police on the main motorway from the capital Manama to Sakhir.
Al-Zayani played down the matter, and said he would not request any tighter security as a result.
"It was an isolated incident... The protesters were not targeting the cars, they just happened to be there," he said.
Force India driver German Nico Hulkenberg said it was "not right" that members of his team had been close to an exploding firebomb, but added that he still felt safe.
Bahrain's main opposition group, al-Wefaq, has called for a week of daily protests to coincide with the GP.
"There is a desire to take advantage of the presence of (international) press, normally barred from entering the country," said Bahraini rights activist Nabil Rajab.
While international sports correspondents are in Bahrain for the race, non-sports reporters from Reuters and other news organizations have been refused visas to visit the Gulf island.
Formula One last visited Bahrain in 2010, with last year's race canceled due to the protests, and the race is the biggest sporting event on the tiny Gulf island, with a global television audience of tens of millions.
The incident prompted F1 officials to reassure participants that despite the violence, Bahrain was safe.
Speaking to reporters at the Sakhir circuit outside Manama, chairman of the Formula One Grand Prix Drivers Association, Pedro de la Rosa, said safety is "not a concern," adding that he had full faith in the decision by the International Motoring Federation to hold the event despite mounting tensions in the kingdom.
Four members of the Force India team were stuck in traffic when a firebomb exploded as they returned from the Sakhir circuit to their hotel late on Wednesday, Bahrain International Circuit Chairman Zayed al-Zayani told Autosport magazine.
Nobody was injured, but two members of the team, based at Silverstone in England, decided afterwards to leave Bahrain and return home.
The four mechanics apparently got caught up in a clash between protesters and police on the main motorway from the capital Manama to Sakhir.
Al-Zayani played down the matter, and said he would not request any tighter security as a result.
"It was an isolated incident... The protesters were not targeting the cars, they just happened to be there," he said.
Force India driver German Nico Hulkenberg said it was "not right" that members of his team had been close to an exploding firebomb, but added that he still felt safe.
Bahrain's main opposition group, al-Wefaq, has called for a week of daily protests to coincide with the GP.
"There is a desire to take advantage of the presence of (international) press, normally barred from entering the country," said Bahraini rights activist Nabil Rajab.
While international sports correspondents are in Bahrain for the race, non-sports reporters from Reuters and other news organizations have been refused visas to visit the Gulf island.
Formula One last visited Bahrain in 2010, with last year's race canceled due to the protests, and the race is the biggest sporting event on the tiny Gulf island, with a global television audience of tens of millions.
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