2012 Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix

[Ross Balfour]

Apparently there's rumours that FOM instructed the TV race directors not to show any coverage of Force India today, in retaliation to them skipping FP2 yesterday.
Explains why they weren't shown once during qualifying coverage, pretty pathetic though if it's true.

That does make a lot of sense, can't recall seeing them being followed once. Stamps down their authority really, but still a bit OTT. Would have been interesting if Di Resta was poll, would they just blank out the middle of the screen in the press conference?

 

[Ross Balfour]

*sigh* Vettel again..

Really? I think this is great for the championship. He obviously needs to be pole sometimes, and 1 pole out of 4 is hardly domination. I'm really enjoying the rotations of pole position this year, really mixes it up.

 

[David Jundt]

I saw them a couple of times..

In the background as lay actors

 

[stbreaker]

That does make a lot of sense, can't recall seeing them being followed once. Stamps down their authority really, but still a bit OTT. Would have been interesting if Di Resta was poll, would they just blank out the middle of the screen in the press conference?

Here in the US one of the commentators mentioned Force India's lack of coverage and asked the pit reporter for his opinion. The pit reporter proceeded to ignore that query and instead speak on Ferrari tire strategy. So either the producers told him not to answer or he thought better of it since he was actually standing around FIA officials. Makes you wonder...

 

[Hampus Andersson]

Great Qualifying, the cars are really even now!

 

[cruyff]

I liked this bit:

i just want to ask one question do getting consecutive wins is a Punishment for Driver in this world cos i know win in F1 is not easy to get as everybody knows that

I believe you are making a mistake. It's not wins, it's championships. But I think they changed that rule in 2012. Now you just can't win twice.

Plus:

Apparently there's rumours that FOM instructed the TV race directors not to show any coverage of Force India today, in retaliation to them skipping FP2 yesterday.
Explains why they weren't shown once during qualifying coverage, pretty pathetic though if it's true.

Is that ridiculously irrational and mean or is it just me?

 

[Markus Neumann]

I'm having a hard time believing the FOM-Force India retaliation story. If anything, the odds are that it's just a coincidence.

However:

Fernley was visited by Ecclestone and the Bahraini Crown Prince during the first session of practice on Friday morning.
Ecclestone tried to persuade him to run the cars in the second session, offering to stay at the track with the team as late as they wanted and travel with them back to their hotel, with a police escort if they wanted one.
But Fernley decided Force India would not run in second practice on Friday because team members wanted to return to their hotel in daylight.

I suppose it's possible that Ecclestone went out of his way to offer FI a favor and saw them declining it as a personal insult. That would make this rumor a little more credible.

 

[Lewis Fergusson]

It's not a coincidence. Watch the start of Q2, they focus on Karthikeyan in the paddock (???) and a Mercedes in the garage while the Force India's are setting hotlaps. There's numerous other examples even in FP3.
Someone who used to work at FOM also said on twitter it is well known within them that if a team steps out of line then a TV blackout is the punishment.

 

[Ho3n3r]

Well he's really gonna struggle to ignore them at the race start

Seriously though, time for Bernie's dictatorship to end. If they feel their lives are in danger and do not want to go to the track, that's their decision, not his.

 

[Chris Jenkins]

Unfortunately his dictatorship is the main reason for F1 being worth around $20bn

 

[Thomas Dougherty]

Here in the US one of the commentators mentioned Force India's lack of coverage and asked the pit reporter for his opinion. The pit reporter proceeded to ignore that query and instead speak on Ferrari tire strategy. So either the producers told him not to answer or he thought better of it since he was actually standing around FIA officials. Makes you wonder...

Will Buxton tweeted later on about that:

"Really sorry about not answering @bobvarsha's Force India question in Quali. Was not an intentional slight or to avoid the issue.My producer and I were discussing the Ferrari radio message, and as I had not heard all of Bob's question I assumed he'd asked about Ferrari"

 

[Alberto Casado]

Unfortunately his dictatorship is the main reason for F1 being worth around $20bn

I could not care less how much F1 is worth. Could be worth half and be double interesting, not going into sucky circuits just for money's sake.

 

[Aaron Wilkinson]

The BBC coverage made me laugh at Hekis fast lap... david and the other dude were like that caterham has no chance, section 2 faster than 17 place crosses the line they had egg on their face. I loved that so much i mean genuine race pace is in that care maybe we can see them a bit more FOM tmoz please. As i dotn give a f about the front runners for once.

 

[Markus Neumann]

It's surprising how fast Caterham is all of a sudden. In China, Marussia came dangerously close in qualifying and might even have beaten them if they also had a Renault engine + KERS. Now there are 3 seconds between them.

 

[Scott Webber]

 

[Diego Lopez]

yeah drivers show their emotions but that finger is like a big "f u" to most anyways, so is a big dislike, even with the media. go Mclaren dont let redbull get away.

 

[Diego Lopez]

I think you are mistaking the world for yourself And learn to appreciate a quality driver when you see one

if u say that then i say Captain Slow is also a quality driver...rofl rofl rofl fans.

 

[ufunacaoenn]

Schumi have been served a 5 grid drop penalty after being forced to change gear box.

 

[Ivo Simons]

Awell Spa 2011 all over again then.

 

[Markus Neumann]

What's up with gearboxes this year? Have they become too fragile because of the way they are designed with the sleeker rear ends of the cars?