Formula One team Force India is being punished for having the gall to abandon Friday’s second practice session before the troubled Bahrain Grand Prix.
The Anglo-Indian team opted not to take part in the afternoon session in an attempt to have its staff away from the circuit before night fell, fearing for their safety due to Bahrain’s recent political unrest.
The team’s decision, defended by Deputy Team Principal Bob Fernley, was the closest anyone in the sport has come to protesting the holding of this weekend’s Grand Prix, and comes after a van filled with mechanics had a Molotov cocktail explode near it on Wednesday.
Formula One Management, the company which owns the sports commercial rights and provides the global television feed, responded by simply ignoring Force India throughout qualifying. Throughout the hour-long session, and in spite of their driver Paul Di Restra reaching the final phase of the session, Force India’s cars were notably absent from screens.
FOM’s boss Bernie Ecclestone defended the coverage, suggesting that the cameras were more focused on those capable of securing pole. “Nobody cares if someone is ninth of 11th, only the people that are watching a particular team,” Eccelstone told Reuters.
Elsewhere Ecclestone remarked that the lack of coverage was a result of alcohol advertising on the Force India cars, citing the fact that advertising alcohol in Bahrain is illegal as a possible cause.
His comments aside, not showing Force India during qualifying is not only in keeping with history but ultimately backfired.
Ahead of the Australian Grand Prix, the newly appointed British broadcaster Sky was forced to pull an article from its website which revealed some of the financial future of the sport. It detailed confidential information from the secretive Concorde Agreement and was online barely 90 minutes before it was pulled down. It’s understood Sky was given an ultimatum for encouragement.
Force India meanwhile has enjoyed more coverage by not being on television that it would have otherwise. Headlines have drawn attention to its lack of coverage, while the team trended on social networking site Twitter throughout qualifying.
The team is expected to face the same treatment in the race as it continues to be punished for its ‘insubordination’.
Mat Coch
Guest
Provided te article is fair and balanced Bernie is okay with it being published. My accreditation is provided by a publication which is independant and as such is willng to call a spade a spade. Bernie has not always appreciated though my editor has told him to go away in no uncertain teams. Everything Bernie says is for a reason. He is a man of few words and what he does say is designed to put pressure on someone for something. His words alone generate headlines which puts Formula 1 on the front page, and to him, that is a good result. If the world is talking about Formula 1, the world knows about it. That raises awareness which swells FOM's bottom line.
AndyMack
Guest
Formula 1 is a dictatorship. If you upset Bernie, there are consequences. The fact the race went ahead there is a disgrace really. You can hardly blame the Force guys for being a bit gun shy, they were almost blown up!!! I guess Bernie is not one for missing out on a bit of cash. Hope Roar isn't somehow connected to F1, otherwise this article will have to be pulled down pretty quickly as well. Love censorship!!!!
Mat Coch
Guest
One suspects FOM realised it'd done Force India a favour in qualifying, and quietly reinstated coverage for the race. Daniel had a horrible opening lap. It will be interesting to see how to reacts to finishing behind Vergne despite having started at the opposite end of the grid to the Frenchman.
stam
Roar Rookie
I didn't notice any lack of coverage in the race, did anyone else? The race was fantastic for the first half then became pretty subdued for the end, and mark getting a decent start?? Has he passed the curse onto Ricciardo?