by F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has insisted that despite fears for the security of drivers, teams and fans, the decision on whether to hold the Bahrain Grand Prix should sit with the man who gave him millions and millions of pounds.
With protests showing no signs of abating, Ecclestone feels that significant investment made by Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifah’s to bring the F1 franchise to Bahrain means he is best placed to judge safety levels on the streets.
Ecclestone told reporters, “I think we all know that decisions about the safety of thousands of people are best made not by professionals, but by people who have paid me an awful lot of money to make these sorts of decisions.”
“After all, what is the point of being a billionaire if you can’t endanger a few lives in order to secure one of your playthings when you feel like it?”
“He’s spent millions on me to bring F1 to his back door, so I’m sure he’d cancel it if he thought some poor people might get hurt.”
Bahrain F1 Grand Prix under threat
There is currently significant speculation as to whether the Bahrain Grand Prix will be postponed, or even moved to another location, but Ecclestone has urged fans to trust in the Crown Prince.
He said. “What better way to judge the safety of a region than by secluding yourself in a palace surrounded by hundreds of trained guards. If that doesn’t give you an idea of how safe a country is, nothing will.”
“But if it is moved, he’s not getting a refund, I’ll tell you that much.”
“He paid for a Grand Prix and he can happily have one surrounded by angry protester if he wants to, but I’m not giving him back the millions of pounds he gave me.”
