F1

THIS year’s Formula One season kicks off on Sunday in Bahrain, a venue that polarises opinion as the opening race for such a global sport.Historically, F1 has started the year in countries with a history of motor racing — such as Australia, Brazil, South Africa or Argentina.
F1 are not doing their part to tackle sportswashing in the GulfCredit: Rex
Those form a stark contrast to ­Bahrain, which is a group of islands in the Persian Gulf with a population of just over 1.6million.
Perhaps we should not be so surprised to see it as race one, for somewhat incredibly this will be the fifth time that the Sakhir Circuit has held the prestigious curtain-raiser.
Even less so given it is rumoured the race — which had a record attendance of just 35,000 last year — pays F1 around £37.6m a season for the rights to host a grand prix.
Oh, and last year it agreed a contract with F1 that remains in place until 2036, albeit not always as the opening race.
READ MORE ON F1
The Bahrain GP follows pre-season testing that was also held at the same track — due to its warm and stable climate — and will be followed by a GP in Saudi Arabia.
And in the final part of the season, the calendar takes in Qatar and has Abu Dhabi as the finale.
It means this year there are four races in the Middle East,  just two races (Japan and Singapore) in the rest of Asia and none in Africa.
Formula One is not alone in this shift. Boxing, football, tennis and golf have all been lured to the Middle East as sports are decentralised from their European roots.
Most read in Motorsport
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST NEW CUSTOMER SIGN UP DEALS
Of course, the money is a considerable factor — and with that comes the accusation of sportswashing.
Bahrain, for instance, has been accused by activist group Human Rights Watch of having a “dismal” record on the issue.
In 2013, Amnesty International claimed children, some as young as 13, were “blindfolded, beaten and ­tortured” as a result of protesting against the government.
Seven years later, a cross-party group of 30 UK parliamentarians urged F1 to “leverage Bahrain into respecting human rights”.
Also in 2020, Britain’s seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton  said: “We realise we’ve got to face and not ignore the human rights issues in the countries that we go to, not just 20 years, 30 years from now, but now.”
SINGING IN THE RAIN
The first Bahrain race was held in 2004 and I am not too sure what has been done to address those issues in the years since.
The situation is difficult for F1, as the owners Liberty Media tiptoe through the political minefield while also trying to run their business.
I understand that in Bahrain’s case there are a number of programmes aimed at encouraging girls into karting, while there are strict rules in each of the circuit’s contracts regarding breaches of human and labour rights.
But while the full details of those contracts remain private, it is difficult to see what else is being done.
You could argue that by being there in the first place, F1 is inadvertently keeping the pressure on those governments to address their human rights’ records.
However, the counter argument is that as these races in the Middle East become more frequent — and without evidence of F1 producing such legacy programmes — as time goes on, there is a real danger we could all become sportswashed.
Marc Marquez says teammate Pol Espargaro snubbed him ahead of surgeryCredit: EPA
MAKING HIS MARC
MOTOGP star Marc Marquez says he was snubbed by Pol Espargaro before undergoing surgery.
While Aleix Espargaro and Fabio Quartararo both reached out to wish Marquez luck for a career-saving op, there was nothing from his team-mate, who has since left the Honda team.
He said: “My team-mate Pol didn’t come to see me and he’s right next to me in the box. I mean, you don’t expect everyone to come. I didn’t expect Aleix.
“I know exactly who’s going to support me and who isn’t. Or who wishes the best for me and who doesn’t.
“Luckily there aren’t many who wish me the worst — but I bet there’s someone.”
E-ASY DOES IT
FORMULA E bosses should be patting themselves on the back after a stonking South African E-Prix.
Not only did the all-electric series pull off a thrilling debut in Cape Town in front of 25,000 fans but their Gen 3 car is delivering some great racing, too.
While Formula One’s model in 2022 was plagued by bouncing, the Gen 3 has led to some great overtaking manoeuvres.
Read More on The Sun
Nissan’s Sacha Fenestraz set the fastest lap in FE history with an average speed of 96.304mph.
And the race was won after  TAG Heuer Porsche’s Antonio Felix da Costa produced an outrageous pass on the final lap. More

SIR LEWIS HAMILTON is stalling over a new deal as he is waiting to see how good his car is, claims Jensen Button.Mercedes had a difficult season in 2022 with Hamilton failing to win a race for the first time in his career.
Lewis Hamilton is optimistic about Mercedes’ chances this seasonCredit: EPA
Jensen Button thinks Hamilton could retire if Mercedes fail to compete for the second year runningCredit: PA
The 38-year-old is in the twilight of his career and could decide to retire at the end of the year if Mercedes cannot compete with Red Bull once again.
He has been offered a contract extension which could reportedly see his salary rise by £22million to £62m-a-year.
But Button thinks Hamilton is delaying until he finds out how good his car is.
The 2009 world champion told The Telegraph: “It has to be that, right?”
READ MORE IN SPORT
“Why otherwise would you leave it this late? He knows how annoying we all are asking [about the contract].
“I mean, we’ve got to ask the question, but he’s going to hate answering it over and over and over again. It can only be because he’s wondering how competitive they will be.
“Is he going to sign if the car is uncompetitive because he wants it to be quick again before he retires?
“Or is he thinking, ‘If it’s not better, I’m just going to retire’. Who knows?”
Most read in Motorsport
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023

Complete F1 2023 race calendar – every Grand Prix from this year
Hamilton is confident Mercedes will be able to compete after recording the second-quickest time in testing behind Red Bull’s Sergio Perez.
He remains optimistic despite admitting the team are “not quite where we want to be” ahead of the season opener at Bahrain this weekend.
Hamilton said: “There has been a lot of discovery and the whole team has approached it with the same mentality, working hard, not being complacent and staying focused.
“We’re not quite where we want to be but it’s a good platform to start from. We don’t know where we will be next week, but we will stay positive and continue to push to the maximum.” More

F1 LEGEND Eddie Jordan has opened up about his pal Michael Schumacher – saying the stricken star is “there, but not there” as mystery surrounds his health.Eddie, 74, gave the German his big break in F1 when the then 22-year-old racer made his debut with Jordan in the Belgian Grand Prix in 1991.
Eddie Jordan with Michael Schumacher in 1991Credit: Sutton Motor Sport Images
Jordan said his ‘love’ for Michael ‘still lasts’ after he gave him his break in F1Credit: Corbis – Getty
Michael Schumacher’s son, Mick Schumacher, has followed him into F1Credit: AFP
Michael would go on to break all the records – winning seven world championships and 91 races while driving for Ferrari and Benetton.
But the 54-year-old racing legend has not been seen or heard from for nearly 10 years after his horror ski crash back in 2013.
He was left with a severe brain injury and in a medically induced coma.
Mystery surrounds his condition – with his family imposing a strict “family only” rule on who can visit him.
Read more on Michael Schumacher
And it came as Michael’s son Mick followed in his dad’s footsteps into F1.
But the young driver, 23, struggled and lost his race seat at the end of 2022 after a series of crashes for the Haas team.
Eddie was denied a visit to see Michael – but has kept up contact with Mick.
The F1 boss said his “love” for the seven-time world champion “still lasts and will always do so while I’m able to draw breath” in a chat with sports betting firm OLBG.
Most read in Motorsport
And last year, he revealed his son Mick had reached out to him.
“As far as I’m concerned, I was touched by it and the reason I was touched by it was because it can’t be easy knowing that your father is not able to be part of the family, he’s there but he’s not there,” said Jordan.
Jordan explained that Mick spoke about his father in glowing terms as he was enduring his own struggles in F1.
“It touched me because I felt so much about Michael, I went out of my way to find him, give him his first chance in Spa, didn’t last very long but that love for him still lasts and will always do so while I’m able to draw breaths,” said Eddie.
Mick – who was dropped by Haas in favour of veteran driver Nico Hulkenberg for 2023 – is now a reserve driver at Mercedes.
He will be backing up Sir Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, potentially stepping in for them if they have to miss a race.
In a touching link to his dad, Mercedes is the team that Michael ended his career with – having a brief three-season comeback from 2010 to 2012 after his initial retirement in 2006.
Schuey is credited with helping to lay the foundations of the Silver Arrows as they went on to dominate the sport – winning eight constructors’ and seven drivers’ titles – between 2014 and 2021.
Eddie however believes Mick could find his way back into a full-time race seat.
“He’s been dropped for somebody else, and that’s a tough decision, he has another fight to come back and to make his name, climb up that ladder again,” he said.
“I’m quite sure he will do it.”
Jordan also revealed Michael named his son after legendary sportsman Mick Doohan.
He said Mick was given his name “as a mark of respect” to the Aussie five-time MotoGP world champion.
“Mick Schumacher isn’t named after his dad like a lot of people seem to think,” he said.
“Mick Schumacher is named after a person who his father, Michael, was in total awe of, a sportsman who had won five world titles back to back with Honda.
“And that is no other than Mick Doohan.
“As a mark of respect, Michael Schumacher called his son Mick.”
Last year, Jordan revealed Michael’s wife denied him a visit to see the Formula 1 legend after his horror skiing accident.
His wife Corinna keeps his condition a closely guarded secret with strict rules about who’s allowed to see him.
Corinna prefers to treat her husband privately at their home in Geneva, Switzerland with ex-Ferrari boss Jean Todt one of the few people allowed to see him outside his immediate family.
Jordan said he contacted Corinna, who was once the girlfriend of his team’s driver Heinz Harold Frentzenm, before she went on to marry Schumacher.
He told the Irish Daily Mirror: “I reached out and one stage asked was it appropriate and did I think we should go and visit him.
Read More on The Sun
“The answer was no. No visitations for anyone at that moment except the actual direct family.
“However, since then, young Mick Schumacher – Michael’s son – has reached out to me, and he has been extraordinary.”
Eddie Jordan was the former boss of Jordan Grand PrixCredit: Getty Images More