When Sport and Politics Collide

Time and events have prevented me from blogging about this over the past couple of days and, to be honest, I've not got much to add to what Caron has said over at Caron's Musings.

I too don't believe that the Bahrain Grand Prix should be going ahead at a time when dissent in Bahrain is being ruthlessly put down. I don't believe it's right from the point of view of the safety of the drivers and the dozens of support crew (including, of course, many many Brits) but neither do I believe it's right from a moral and political standpoint.

Formula 1's presence in Bahrain will both ferment protests and cause them to be brutally stamped upon. The safety of the teams cannot be guaranteed in such circumstances - something that was illustrated only too well yesterday when the Force India team found itself at risk. 

Whilst the authorities will do what they can to ensure that the event passes off without incident (and to keep any signs of protest away from the World's TV cameras). In this context "what they can" carries a much deeper and darker meaning than it would in the U.K. as we know only too well.  

Bernie Ecclestone claims that "It's another race on the calendar, it's scheduled." - a statement seems to imply that it's just another race when it so clearly has become something else. He is further reported as claiming that the only body with the power to cancel the race is the National Sporting Authority - as if he, the Commercial Rights Holder, was impotent in the matter.

He then proceeds to say: "We shouldn't be getting involved with other people's politics. We enter a country in the normal way. We don't deal with the religion or the politics. It's not our business running the country."

This is fine to a point; sport and politics are, for the most part, best kept separate. But there comes a time when even sportspeople need to take a stand. Jesse Owens did it by competing in the Munich Olympics. Many sports - including Formula 1 - did it by boycotting South Africa over Apartheid. In the real world, sport and politics very much do mix.

Want more proof? This is from the website of the Bahraini International Circuit:

It is clear that the Bahrainis themselves are seeking to make F1's presence in the country into a political gesture. F1 should return the favour.

Andrew

Sunday Sounds 38: Just Drive

As this post goes live, the lights will be going out in Melbourne's Albert Park and the first Grand Prix of the 2012 Formula 1 season will be underway. I can't begin to describe the excitement I feel about having it back - or about the fact the there's a McLaren 1-2 on the grid.

One thing that is missing, though, is Fleetwood Mac's The Chain as this race will be carried live on Sky, with the BBC only having the highlights later. It's a new era for coverage of the sport in the UK and such a shame as the BBC's coverage had been excellant in the previous 3 years since they regained the rights from ITV (whose record we will cast a discreet veil over...)

At time of writing, I've not yet watched the coverage of qualifying but the thing that struck me last week whilst I watched Sky's season preview programme was how much of a tribute to the BBC it was. From the pre-title poetic sequence, to the look and feel of the graphics and nature of the pre-filmed features, there was little to differentiate it from what had gone before other than the swanky studio. And, of course, there were a number of familiar faces - Martin Brundle and Ted Kravitz - and voices - David Croft, Anthony Davidson and Natalie Pinkham - from the BBC's TV and Radio coverage.

The credits are low key and pay homage to the history of F1. Even here, though, there is a link to the BBC coverage - the track chosen "Just Drive" was used by the BBC over a montage of highlights at the end of the 2010 season.

Here are the credits:

And here is your Sunday Sound, Just Drive by Alistair Griffin, in full:

Enjoy!

Andrew

Senna: No Fear, No Limits, No Equal

Today's post is a trailer for the forthcoming documentary film "Senna" which promises to be a fantastic portrait of the legend that was Ayrton Senna.

I've been a fan of Formula 1 for years although it is only in recent seasons that I've really got into watching every race. As time goes by I get more and more interested in the details of the cars and the politics of it all - although I have a long way to go to match some people I know!

By contrast, Senna died when I was still relatively new to Formula 1 and while I am obviously aware of his talent, skill and achievements, I'm looking forward to learning more about the man and his life. 

 

Here's a taster:

There's more on the official website. The film's due out on June 3rd and those that have seen it give it glowing reviews - now, is there any chance my sister will move her wedding so I can go see it?!

Andrew

Doing my bit for The Chain gang...

Regular readers will know I love the current number one by Adele. After four weeks, though, I think it's time she moved over and let another act take the top spot. But who do I think should get the honour next?

Rihanna?

Lady Gaga?

Justin Bieber?!!!

No, the song I want to get to number one next is a track from a 1977 album. Specifically, it's The Chain by Fleetwood Mac.

Used as the theme music for BBC's coverage of Formula 1 for every season since 1978 (except for those years when ITV had the broadcast rights but we don't speak about those), The Chain has become iconic. Now, there's a Facebook and Twitter campaign to get it to number one in time for the start of the new season. Follow the links, join up and buy the track!

There's more on this - including two versions of the track - over on Stephen's blog. In the meantime, here's the BBC's Formula 1 trailer to get you in the mood:

Andrew

Jenson and Lewis Double Header

Ahead of the British Grand Prix this weekend, here are two videos featuring Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton.

The first shows them in a warehouse which is home to dozens of old McLaren F1 cars - the focus is the MP4-4 which dominated the 1988 championship. The second is a promotional video for Vodafone in which they try to construct this years car from its consituent parts.

Enjoy!





Andrew

British World Beaters

Jenson Button has been crowned the 2009 Formula 1 World Champion. Well, I say crowned, but there was no formal recognition of his achievement at Interlagos today. Instead, there were rather chaotic scenes as he celebrated with his engineers, family and the world's media while the race winner, Mark Webber, climbed onto the podium to distinctly muted response!

In addition to the Button's triumph, his team, Brawn GP also won, leading to some touching scenes as the perpetually cool and collected Ross Brawn let the emotion get the better of him. As well as thanking all the engineers and staff of the team, he also paid tribute to the work of 200 staff who had to be laid off early in the season, which was a lovely touch.

It has been a fairytale story - the team which was put up for sale by Honda just over a year ago storming into an early and commanding lead which no other team or driver could consistently match, with the clinching of the two titles with a race in hand. This story has also, however, been much rehearsed, so I shall move on...

There is another fairytale story, though. The story of a man who, in his previous 9 years in Formula 1 had won just 1 race. A man who, while showing great promise as a driver (including finishing 3rd in 2004 had never really had a car able to compete with the powerhouses of Ferrari and McLaren.

Formula 1 is a team sport, and a marathon. It is not sufficient to be a good driver or to have a good car. What is required is consistency - a car which can deliver the goods, a driver who is on form, slick pit-stops, insightful strategy. Luck plays a part, and many say that Jenson has had a number of lucky races. Over the piste, however, luck has a habit of working both ways and luck alone does not deliver world champions.

There are others who feel the title is less deserved as the bulk of Button's points came in the first 7 races when Brawn dominated. This is a weak argument - Usain Bolt's wins aren't less celebrated because he does the bulk of the work in the first 60 metres. Those people making that argument have no alternative. Indeed, the alternative method preferred by Bernie Ecclestone (head of F1) is a to select the winner based on most races won. That would make the 2009 champion.... Jenson Button!

His achievement makes him the 10th Brit to win Formula 1, following in the footsteps of past greats such as Graham Hill, Jim Clark and Jackie Stewart and, of course, directly succeeding Lewis Hamilton.

So here's a toast (Cider, as he's a Somerset lad) to the latest British champ - and here's hoping for another one next year!

Andrew

P.S. Britain won another World Championship today - Beth Tweddle took Gold in the Floor event at the O2.

The Brits are Flying...

I've got a question:

Which of the following events do you think will be widely reported on the news tonight?

1. 2008 World Champion Lewis Hamilton wins his first Grand Prix of the year with a commanding performance in Hungary.

2. In just two years, and at the age of 24, Mark Cavendish has become the first British man to win more than 8 stages at the Tour de France .

3. Bradley Wiggins has finished fourth in the Tour, matching the previous record for a British man in the competition.

The answer, of course, is the first one. Formula 1 is loved and followed by millions of people. It's a sport in which the Brits have a great history and heritage and where a number of teams have their bases. It's glamourous, wealthy and highly commercial.

Cycling, by contrast, is a bit of a cinderella sport. While it has benefited from National Lottery funds, and a governing body which has invested in a training infrastructure designed to achieve World and Olympic medals, it has not really reached into the popular consciousness in the same way.

Despite the haul of cycling golds at last years Olympics, precious few people will be aware of the continuing plaudits achieved by our cyclists. Indeed, few people will be interested in cycling until the 2012 Olympics roll round.

Now, I'm not wanting to be hypocritical about this. I'm not pretending I've been following every twist and turn of Mark Cavendish's achievements in the past year while I have been following every twist and turn of F1. I'm not expecting cycling to become the focal point of sports bulletins or the BBC to broadcast "Ride of the Day"

The point I want to make is that we have sportspeople out there, in various sports, competing either directly or indirectly for this country week in, week out. And when they achieve personal bests or outperform their predecessors, we owe them a bit more than an "and finally" in the news.