The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights has asked the teams and drivers to boycott the Bahrain Grand Prix in late April due to ongoing unrest.
The country had meant to host the 2011 season opening race, as it has done in previous years, but the event was cancelled after violence and protests broke out in the country, making it unsafe for visitors.
Whilst the violence has calmed dramatically over the past few months, campaigners are adamant that the government is continuing to mistreat pro-democracy protestors, and has therefore called on the F1 fraternity to once again skip the event.
“We will campaign for drivers and teams to boycott [the race],” said Nabeel Rajab, vice president for the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights.
“The government wants Formula One to tell the outside world that everything is back to normal. If they come, they are helping the government to say [it is].
“We would prefer it if they didn’t take part. I am sure the drivers and teams respect human rights.”
Bernie Ecclestone however seems unlikely to cancel the event which contributes upwards of £25 million ($40m) to the sports revenues – though the organisers paid Ecclestone the fee for 2011 despite the event not going ahead.
“It’s on the calendar. We’ll be there, unless something terrible happens to stop us,” the 81-year-old said recently.
