F1 has been urged to "improve its image" by speaking out on the human rights situation in Azerbaijan, which will stage its inaugural grand prix on June 19, according to Paul Weaver of the London GUARDIAN.
Sport For Rights -- an organization established to draw attention to Azerbaijan’s human rights record -- has urged F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone "to take a stand." Sports for Rights Campaign Coordinator Rebecca Vincent said, "We have called on Formula One [CEO] Bernie Ecclestone to publicly speak out on human rights issues in Azerbaijan and to call for the release of political prisoners." However Vincent, who was backed up by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre Exec Dir Phil Bloomer, "made it clear that she did not want the race airbrushed from the busy Formula One schedule." Vincent said, "We’re not asking them to cancel the race, we’re not calling on people not to go. We are asking Mr. Ecclestone to use it to make a stand instead of enabling repression" (GUARDIAN, 6/7).
MEET AND GREET: In London, Daniel Johnson wrote campaigners for human rights in Azerbaijan "met senior officials" from Ecclestone’s Formula One Management in London. Although Ecclestone was not present, it is understood that Sacha Woodward-Hill, F1’s head of legal and an "extremely close ally" of the 85-year-old, "attended the meeting along with one other aide." They "are expected to meet again after the inaugural race, which takes place on June 19." Vincent said, "I do emphasize that it was a constructive meeting compared to our engagement with other bodies. Ecclestone himself has been making some unhelpful comments and we might be expecting some more of that because that seems to be his nature. But we will continue to engage with them and press Formula One in general to speak up publicly" (TELEGRAPH, 6/7). REUTERS' Alan Baldwin wrote critics of Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev "accuse him and his government of cracking down on dissent in the oil-rich former Soviet republic to block the rise of any political opposition." He "denies this." Ecclestone, who was not immediately available for comment on Tuesday, said last year that F1 "had no qualms about racing in Azerbaijan." At the time he said, "I think everybody seems to be happy. Doesn’t seem to be any big problem there." Vincent, who spoke with representatives of other campaign groups at a presentation that was also attended by Azerbaijan embassy officials, said that "was not the case" (REUTERS, 6/7).
ACCIDENT DATA-GATHERING: AUTOSPORT's Lawrence Barretto reported the FIA's push for further accident data-gathering "will next focus on biometrics, with a view to trialling a system before the end of the 2016 Formula 1 season." The governing body "released the results of its investigation into Fernando Alonso's high-speed crash in the Australian Grand Prix." It "was the first time it had analysed data from the high-speed camera, installed on cars at the start of this season, in conjunction with its accident data recorder and in-ear accelerometer tools" (AUTOSPORT, 6/7).
