GRIBKOWSKY AND BRIBERY

This post may not be what you would usually read here at Aqsa's Formula but considering F1 encompasses politics and economics and goes beyond motor racing I feel this blog should too. The story I'm going to talk about is one featuring heavily in the news and so I want to make sure all F1 fans are aware of and understand the issue.

There's been a court case taking place in Munich, Germany and the man on trial is one Gerhard Gribkowsky. You may be aware of this court case already but I'll give you some background information just in case you're not. In July 2011 Gribkowsky was charged with tax evasion, breach of trust and receiving corrupt payments by German prosecutors. He was on the management board of a regional bank called BayernLB and the bank just happened to own a 47% stake in F1. Six years ago Gribkowsky was in charge of managing the sale of BayernLB's share in F1 to CVC Capital Partners. This is a private equity firm which means people give them money and they then use it to buy stakes in businesses. They have a huge portfolio and operate in Europe, the USA and Asia.

So, what is it that Gribkowsky did wrong? Prosecutors claim that he sold the share without updating its true valuation, meaning it was sold at a much cheaper price. He reportedly did this in return for bribes which were disguised as consulting contracts. This made the bribes look like it was money he'd earned for advising the company on what they could do. It's all very clever... Bernie Ecclestone apparently payed Gribkowsky a staggering £28 million ($44m) in bribes but he denies any wrongdoing and claims he was threatened to pay up.

In the trial on Wednesday, Gribkowsky told the court that the allegations of bribery were "essentially true". Ecclestone, naturally, claims that Gribkowsky is only saying this to "save himself" and get a lighter sentence. Gribkowsky has been sentenced to eight years and six months in prison but it is as yet unclear what effect this will have on Mr Ecclestone. No charges have been brought forward against him and he's never been charged by Munich state prosecutors previously.

Now, could it be that the talk of a London Grand Prix, which started at around the same time as Gribkowsky's trial, was all just a big distraction created by the powers that be to get the papers and fans talking about something else? No, surely not...

Aqsa

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT.

Two practice sessions took place over in Bahrain earlier today and the standings after them make for very interesting reading.

In second practice Nico Rosberg was fastest overall showing that his form has carried over into this race weekend and only a fool would write him off as a pole contender. Understandably high after his maiden race win in China, Nico has a great chance at making it two in a row...

The big surprise of the day for me was the fact that the Red Bulls of Mark and Sebastian were 2nd and 3rd respectively. The double world champion has switched to the newer car that Mark was running with last week after saying he preferred the older design. The results from China, in qualifying and in the race, showed that the newer package was faster and Vettel can't afford to carry on being beaten by his team mate. The Bulls showed they had pace and were capable of matching or even beating McLaren but remember that in practice in Shanghai, Red Bull weren't too far off the pace but we all know that qualifying certainly didn't go to plan for them.

Speaking of McLaren, I can't imagine they're totally happy with how practice went as they were beaten by Red Bull in second practice; Lewis finished fourth after Vettel. Button was "feeling massively no grip" and it seems that his poor qualifying performance in China may be repeated tomorrow. However the fact that Lewis went fastest in first practice once again underlines just how unpredictable this season promises to be, let alone tomorrow's qualifying.

There were no other major surprises amongst the teams with Ferrari finishing in eighth with Alonso; a position they're definitely getting used to particularly on Fridays and Saturdays.

I don't think anyone knows what is going to happen tomorrow and I'm sure that qualifying in Bahrain will leave us with plenty of talking points just as Saturday sessions have done all year so far.

Of course the race isn't the only thing that will get the world watching and F1 will have a lot more attention placed on it this weekend due to the political conditions in Bahrain. Whether the race goes ahead or not (it's unlikely to be cancelled anyway) is not in the hands of F1 fans so let's just enjoy the on-track action as much as we can whilst not forgetting what the innocent people of Bahrain are fighting for and praying that everyone (teams, drivers, fans and protesters) stays safe.

So will Vettel make it to Q3 or finally beat his team mate? Will Nico take pole position again? Or will Hamilton rain on his parade? Unfortunately I can't answer any of these and you'll just have to watch qualifying to find out, won't you? Then you can join me right here so we can talk about it all. See you then...

Aqsa

P.S. My laptop has gone off for repairs (I somehow cracked the screen) so I may not be able to post/tweet as regularly as I would like to next week but I'll try my best. I'm sure my sister won't mind me stealing borrowing hers.

(All images: dailymail.co.uk)

BAHRAIN- MORE THAN JUST A RACE.

With all the talk surrounding the Bahrain Grand Prix it only makes sense that I do some kind of post on the matter. I'm sure you've heard all about the controversy surrounding the race (if not I recommend you read this handy BBC article! It has information on the questions raised about the Grand Prix and an update on the situation in the country.) and there are plenty of bloggers and news sites out there that can describe what's going on. Therefore, I don't want to simply tell you why people are talking about it, I just want to offer my thoughts on the situation.

The mass human rights abuses that are taking place in Bahrain right now are plain and clear for us all to see. And why are innocent people being brutally targeted by their Government? For simply demanding their right to live in a democracy! Many of us are blessed with this privilege already and so it's difficult for us to place ourselves in the mind of a Bahraini (or Syrian, Libyan etc) citizen and it is difficult for us to show our support of their cause. However, one organisation that does have the power and influence to affect the way people view a situation is Formula 1. It is in a unique position as a sport that is so closely tied with politics and other world issues but it should view this position as a positive. Should F1 be going to a country and helping the government make money with which it will orchestrate the murder of its own civilians? The answer is simple. The answer is no.

(Image taken from arabianbusiness.com) 

The teams and drivers only seem to be concerned with safety and whilst this is an important aspect, this issue is deeper than motor racing. It is about showing an alliance with the Bahraini people and refusing to hold a Grand Prix alongside a brutal regime.

So as the world awaits a final decision on this Grand Prix it is important to remember that even if the race is cancelled the problems in Bahrain continue. My thoughts and prayers are with the people of Bahrain and it is clear that they too don't want this race to go ahead (see Youtube for some anti-F1 protests).

(Image taken from blogs.aljazeera.net)

I didn't foresee myself getting so 'deep' on this blog but one of the great things about Formula 1 is the impact it has on the world and it is definitely more than just a sport.

Aqsa

STAND UP AND BE COUNTED.

Anonymous team principal: “I feel very uncomfortable about going to Bahrain. If I’m brutally frank, the only way they can pull this race off without incident is to have a complete military lock-down there. And I think that would be unacceptable, both for Formula One and for Bahrain. But I don’t see any other way they can do it.”


Whilst it is encouraging to see someone speaking out about Bahrain, post with more on the situation most likely tomorrow, I don't think this team principal should remain anonymous. Can you imagine the effect it would have if someone like Whitmarsh or Horner publicly condemned the GP? Or a driver like Alonso, Button or Schumacher? I don't think the people at the forefront of Formula 1 should remain silent; now is the time for them to make a difference!