Lewis Hamilton has set an example for Formula One drivers, teams, and sponsors by bringing attention to human rights violations in Bahrain.
The Grand Prix is being used to “sportswash the country’s dire human rights record,” according to a joint letter from 27 rights groups and trade unions. The new season begins on Saturday in an event described by the Gulf state as “20 Years of a Modern Classic.”
Furthermore, Paul Scriven has called top Formula One executives “people from another planet” for ignoring his February 14 letter to CEO Stefano Domenicali, in which he requested proof for their assertion that the race is a “force for good” in Bahrain.
The country’s political prisoners are receiving plaudits for their predicament from Mercedes’ seven-time world champion Hamilton, and Mr. Scriven, vice-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Democracy and Human Rights in the Gulf, thinks more powerful voices should follow suit.
At a press conference in central London, Mr. Scriven told the PA news agency, “I think it’s now going to come down to two groups of people because it’s very clear that the senior leadership of F1 don’t give a damn.”
“The money, the glamour, the glamor, and the prestige they gain from this are their only concerns.
“Now that Lewis Hamilton has adopted an ethical position and gone above and beyond what we would normally expect someone to accomplish on their own, it’s up to both the teams and other drivers. The teams must take a stance.
However, where is the attention coming from the Formula One sponsors? In all of this, where are they?
“They have to take a stand and tell F1 that they are required to fulfill their pledge to take reasonable measures to comprehend and diligently monitor any potential repercussions on human rights.
“People in Bahrain lack fundamental rights, such as the ability to read a free press, vote, and express their ideas. They face persecution if they do assert their rights.
Are these businesses genuinely interested in being connected to that? Since they haven’t provided us with the proof that they are a positive influence, it is evident that the leaders of Formula One do want to be connected with it.
“Questions start to come up if drivers, teams, and sponsors start speaking up. They therefore have a moral obligation to draw attention to it for fans.”
With 1.5 million people living there, the Kingdom of Bahrain is a hereditary monarchy.
The current head of state is King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa, and the prime minister is his son, Prince Nasser. Groups opposed have been outlawed.
As part of the “Arab Spring,” the country saw a pro-democracy movement in 2011 and has since After the ‘Arit’ was put down, peaceful protest has been brutally suppressed.
Formula One responded to Mr. Scriven and the letter from the rights organizations and trade unions by saying: “For many years, Formula One has made a significant effort to have a beneficial influence wherever it races, offering advantages in the social, cultural, and economic spheres.
“Competitions and communities come together to share the emotion and thrill of amazing competition and achievement via the remarkable ability of sports like Formula One to transcend borders and cultural barriers.
“We take our responsibilities on rights very seriously and set high ethical standards for counterparties and those in our supply chain, which are enshrined in contracts, and we pay close attention to their adherence.”