Bahrain’s much controversial F1 Grand Prix 2012 final race is taking place at the Bahrain International Circuit Sakhir today, thanks to the vision of the FIA leadership and especially of Formula One Chief Executive Bernie Ecclestone who insisted to see this Grand Prix should take place despite media negativism.
The good news is Bharain F1 Grand Prix 2012 concludes at the Bahrain International Circuit with Sebastian Vettel claiming the title.
One must admit that this year’s race at BIC shrouded by uncertainty as till April 16th nobody was sure that the F1 teams would ever fly to Manama from their Shanghai Grand Prix where Bernie confronted by the international media and repeated the same question when Bahrain’s Grand Prix 2012 be scrapped this year as well like 2011?
Journalist perhaps missed the point that Bernie can’t be influenced by a political rhetoric as this man has developed such a successful business model from his passion of motor sports.
This question struck my attention when a lady reporter from a TV said: “Sir what are you hearing about unfolding events in Bahrain? Bernie immediately replied lady what you have been hearing about Bahrain tell me? Sir in media reports…..? Well a lot of being said in media which can’t be reflective of the factual position on the ground, Bernie told that reporter at Shanghai F1 track.”
This is a leadership, as Formula One CEO time and again said that the F1 Grand Prix will go ahead as per the schedule of Grand Prix 2012. “The F1 teams will be in Bahrain to take part in the Grand Prix scheduled for April 20th to 22nd unless the Bahrain Government decides otherwise,” Bernie explicitly said.
Fact sheet, there is nothing happening Bahrain, there is no law and order situation in Bahrain and no emergency everything is normal and fact put even in a better perspective was British Prime Minister’s statement who said: “Bahrain is not a Syria,” adding that reforms were on going in Bahrain and F1 Grand Prix should be held in Bahrain, David Cameron told the Labour Party MPs those who wanted to see the F1 Grand Prix event in Bahrain be scrapped.
Being a journalist sometime I feel that I am totally lost when I come across stories which have had no substance, I mean how can you file a report without hearing to the all sides, in Bahrain’s case 99% especially in the Western media reports are full of venom and just targeting the leadership.
Mind you dear journalists, the Western institutes and Universities always taught about objectivity and balanced reporting where these values and basics go when you talk about the Middle East in general and the developing world in specific? I wonder if at all Western media has some ethics or at least courtesy to talk to the Government side when they are filing a report targeting the system of any country. By all definitions one sided report in any form about any subject has no validation and doesn’t qualify even as news.
Bahrain’s F1 Grand Prix 2012 is being held under the slogan ‘Unified F1 Grand Prix: One Nation in Celebration’ as everybody wants to see this year F1 Grand Prix as part of the ongoing healing process and more importantly to leave the 2011 unfortunate incidents took place in Bahrain behind.
The leadership of Bahrain is very much involved in this Grand Prix in terms of encouraging people to come forward and join this celebration for three days. I have been around in the Media Centre from 19th April and I have seen many times His Royal Highness Crown Prince Salman Bin Hamad visiting the Paddock area mingling up with teams, visitors and media. Today, the final race day when we met him was very satisfied and jubilant “isn’t amazing that final race is happening under beautiful weather and wonderful crowd.”
His Royal Highness Crown Prince told reporters that those who wants to take this event away are ‘traitors’ and ‘extremists’ as he said that this event offer thousands of jobs to Bahrainis. Shaikh Salman Bin Isa Al Khalifa CEO of the Bahrain International Circuit said that event would generate 3000 jobs and carry about $500 million economic impact.
The Chairman of the BIC Zayed Al Zayani in an interview said there would be impeccable security arrangements during the three days of the event.
Today, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa is also watching the final race at BIC and thanked the FIA, FOM and people of Bahrain to make this event happen.
I may suggest, please stop insane media campaign against Bahrain, this is not good for anyone even not in favour of your so called ‘sources’ as media negativism will strangulate the national economy.