Quintin Jardine's blog

Does money rule? Does it ever. In case anyone hasn’t noticed, currently there is unrest in the Kingdom of Bahrain. This is inconvenient for one Bernie Ecclestone, ringmaster of the circus that is Formula One. (Very highly paid guys driving round and round in very fast cars for no discernible purpose other than to shift shedloads of the products of the companies who sponsor them.) It is inconvenient because in a very few days, the big top is scheduled to go up in the Kingdom of Bahrain, to kick off another round of this elitist nonsense. Peaceful demonstrators are being killed in the streets, shot dead by the forces of the ruling family. And what is the reaction of Bernie Ecclestone? Initially, it was pessimistic. The race might have to be cancelled. Then it became more positive. Maybe it can go ahead. As I write, Bernie’s positivity level has been downgraded to ‘cautious’. This is because, a matter of days before the first elephants start to arrive, people are still being shot down.

Thes are some of Bernie’s quotes:

“Our people there say: ‘It’s quiet, no problems’.”

What exactly were his people watching?

“I’m more hopeful today. I hope we don’t have to do anything. Let’s hope this all blows away. In these parts there’s always been skirmishes. Perhaps it’s a bit more than that.”

Skirmishes? In an iron-ruled kingdom? Dates and details please, Bernie.

“I don’t know what has happened this afternoon because I’ve been travelling but from what I’ve been told it’s a bit different to this morning because of this funeral that’s gone on which is what you would expect I suppose.”

You would expect the security forces to open fire on mourners?

“I don’t fear anything, I just think things have changed and that we should wait and see over the weekend exactly what changes there have been.”

Does than mean, how many more people have been killed?

“I hope we don’t have to do anything, I hope things will just carry on as normal. Obviously some people were killed, nobody’s happy with that, I’m quite sure.”

Least of all, the families of the dead. As for the King, whose will is being done, he probably doesn’t give a fuck.

Bernie’s venality makes me sick, but that’s Bernie. As well as being sick I’m saddened. Why? Because not a single Formula One team, driver, sponsor, broadcaster, not even dear old Murray Walker, has stood up and expressed their solidarity with the victims of the brutality by saying ‘Hell no, we won’t go.’

If this race takes place, it will be because those people who are inconveniencing its planning have been killed, crushed and  swept aside.

In everything I’ve read so far, the only person I’ve seen looking beyond his own wallet has been the chairman of Williams, when he said, “It’s not just about the safety of those involved but being sensitive to what is going on in the country.”

In which case, call it off now; otherwise, it’s tantamount to complicity in murder.