Formula One: Damon Hill voices fears for Bahrain grand prix

DAMON Hill today expressed concern at the prospect of visiting Bahrain for next month’s grand prix.Hill was particularly vocal a year ago at a time when the season-opening event was postponed in the wake of anti-government protests that resulted in a number of deaths prior to it being cancelled completely.

However, following a visit to the Gulf kingdom earlier this year, alongside FIA president Jean Todt, Hill expressed his support and championed the positive aspects the race could bring to Bahrain.

Since then, though, the protests have continued, with police clashing on almost a daily basis with demonstrators, combating petrol bombs with water cannon, tear gas and rubber bullets.

With this year’s grand prix just a fortnight away, Hill said: “What we must put above all else is what will be the penalty in terms of human cost if the race goes ahead.

“It would be a bad state of affairs, and bad for Formula 1, to be seen to be enforcing martial law in order to hold the race.

“That is not what this sport should be about. Looking at it today you’d have to say that the race could be creating more problems than it’s solving.”

Hill, now an expert summariser on Sky Sports F1, has admitted the pictures and video he has witnessed over the past few weeks means the situation in Bahrain is “a worrying state of affairs”.

Hill is not advocating the race be cancelled again, instead he is expressing his misgivings given the situation, and is calling on the FIA to “tread carefully”.

Hill added: “I hope the FIA are considering the implications of this fully and that events in Bahrain are not seen as they are often sold, as a bunch of yobs throwing Molotov cocktails, because that’s a gross simplification.

“If they believe that, they ought be more wary. You don’t get 100,000 people risking their lives in protest for nothing.

“If we go, we all go, but there is obviously still a great deal of pain, anger and tension in Bahrain.

“It would be better for F1 to make it clear it properly understands this, and that it wants only the best for all Bahrain, or whatever country it visits. I think F1 is sailing very close to this limit.

“But there is an even more troubling thought, which is this: is F1 playing brinkmanship for purely financial reasons while people are putting their lives in peril to protest against this event?”

Meanwhile, HRT have set Ma Qing Hua on his way to potentially becoming the first Chinese driver in Formula 1.

Qing Hua has joined the Spanish marque’s young driver development programme, but now has to prove himself before being allowed the prospect of a full test later this year.

Qing Hua, who won the Chinese Touring Car championship last year and the Asian Formula Renault championship in 2004, now faces a series of tests in cars from different categories and simulator tests.

If the 26-year-old confirms his ability, HRT plan to run Qing Hua in the Formula 1’s Young Driver Test in a few months’ time.

“This is a very special moment for me, and it’s hard to express how happy I am,” said Qing Hua.

“I’ve dreamt of becoming a Formula 1 driver since I was very small, and now it has come true thanks to the opportunity HRT has granted me.

“Driving an F1 car will be the most incredible experience and I’m going to work hard to earn it.”

Team principal Luis Perez-Sala said: “He is a talent in which we believe, and we want to help him in his career so that he can make it to Formula 1.