The ceasefire imposed in April on the F1 World Championship is part of the conflict in Iran, but it is not the first time in sports history, as our video sequence reminds.
The Covid crisis had already disrupted social life in general and the organization of sporting events, but Formula 1 had shown great adaptability by adjusting to exceptional circumstances with exemplary logistics.
The situation in the Middle East is posing new obstacles with security conditions preventing the holding of the Grand Prix races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in the coming weeks as the conflict continues.
Gulf countries all impacted
Aside from the races in Sakhir and Jeddah, the other races in the region are scheduled at the end of the season in Doha and then Abu Dhabi, when it is hoped that the geopolitical situation will normalize.
However, one serious incident almost disrupted the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in 2022 when missiles fired by Houthi fighters in Yemen hit a storage area in an Aramco oil refinery about ten kilometers from the circuit (photo above).
This traumatic event delayed the schedule, but after assurances from the Saudi authorities, the F1 and the FIA were able to give the green light to the Grand Prix even though concerns remained. Racing in such an unstable environment can indeed be dangerous, especially since a warlike context generally excludes coverage by insurance companies.
In the past, politics had entered into certain cancellations in South Africa, Bahrain, or Russia as Ziv Knoll and Pierre Van Vliet recount in our latest video broadcast in collaboration with ‘The Human Side of Racing’.
The emergence of Antonelli
The other major trend at the beginning of this season is the rise of young Kimi Antonelli, winner of two of the first three Grand Prix races and the first teenager to lead the F1 World Championship.
It is the first time an Italian has won twice in a row since… Farina and Ascari in 1952! This shows how excited the Tifosi are for this new prodigy who is shaking up the established hierarchy, even if they remain loyal to Scuderia Ferrari. Our two experts also delve into this phenomenon in this month’s episode.
