Formula One teams to race while rage boils on Bahrain streets

Formula One drivers will race in Bahrain on Sunday while rage boils on the streets outside, among protesters who denounce the Grand Prix and vandalism to draw attentions to their demands.

Bahrain launched an investigation into the death of a Bahraini found dead in a garden in Shakhura, one of disturbed area in the country. The man, Salah Abbas Habib Musa, 36, was pronounced dead at the scene, with a wound to his left side.

The body of the man, in which Al Wefaq announced that he was among Bahrain’s protesters, was found early morning on Saturday.

His funeral could be held on Sunday if his family recovers his body, setting the stage for riots on race day.

The incident occurred while Bahrain is hosting the F1 within tight security as result of threats by anti-government protesters to escalate their rioting and vandalism to draw attentions to their demands.

“Stuff that really matters”

The violence outside has had virtually no impact within the sealed bubble of Formula One, apart from a few staff of two teams who witnessed a petrol bomb-throwing incident.

Red Bull’s world champion Sebastian Vettel, who starts at pole position, said shortly after arrival on Thursday that he thought much of what was being reported was hype.

He looked forward to getting in the car and dealing with the “stuff that really matters - tyre temperatures, cars”.

But nightly TV images of streets ablaze with clouds of smoke and teargas are an embarrassment for Formula One and the global brands that lavish it with sponsorship. Thomson Reuters, parent company of Reuters, is a sponsor of the Williams Formula One team.

Jean Todt, president of Formula One’s governing body, the International Automobile Federation, broke a media silence on Saturday to say he was sorry “about what has been reported”.

“I am not sure that all that has been reported corresponds to the reality of what is happening in this country,” he added.

The Bahrain government says it has enacted reforms after cracking down on demonstrators last year while revolts were sweeping across the Arab world.

King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, who will attend Sunday’s race, said in a statement overnight that he wanted “to make clear my personal commitment to reform and reconciliation in our great country. The door is always open for sincere dialogue amongst all our people.”

Bahrain’s government is thought to have spent $40 million to host the event. The race has drawn more than 100,000 visitors and generated over $500 million in spending. It has been a symbol of pride for the ruling royal family since Crown Prince Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa brought the first Formula One Grand Prix to the region in 2004.