As race day nears, we will attempt to stay on top of of the ongoing controversy surrounding the Bahrain Grand Prix. The event, canceled last year because of anti-government protests, is now being overshadowed by renewed tensions between members of the islands kingdom’s Shi’a majority and its ruling Sunni minority. The tensions, it is feared, might once again reach a boiling point, turn violent – and possibly derail the competition.
The teams and drivers have arrived in Manama, Bahrain’s capital, but two Force India team members left after their vehicle was caught in a traffic jam caused by a clash between police and demonstrators. Formula One drivers are saying they are confident racing is the right thing to do while protest leader Nabeel Rajab says running the Grand Prix gives an oppressive regime a PR win. Iraqi Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has called for a boycott of the race, while some Swiss activists are calling for their drivers to display pro-democracy emblems on their cars. Meanwhile, many Bahrainis are still voicing support for the race, with the head of the Bahrain Circuit saying there is no reason to cancel the competition.
We will be monitoring the possible protests against the Formula One race here and on our Bahrain platform – Lulu Live. Alert us to your submissions on Twitter by using hashtag #lululive
This is a special live blog of the ongoing controversy surrounding the Bahrain Grand Prix. The teams and drivers have arrived in Manama, but two Force India team members left after their vehicle was caught in a traffic jam caused by a clash between police and demonstrators. Iraqi Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has called for a boycott of the race. Meanwhile, some Bahrainis are voicing support for the race, and the head of the Bahrain Circuit says there is no reason to cancel the competition.
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