New Delhi: The Bahrain GP reinstatement fiasco has caused considerable embarrassment to the governing body FIA. While the "unanimous" decision by the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) on June 3 has come under a lot of criticism from people both within and outside Formula One, it has now emerged that this important decision may not have been unanimous after all.
A key FIA official said that the voting was done through show of hands. "There were four absentees (out of the total 26 members) during the vote," he revealed on condition of anonymity.
Following the reinstatement of Bahrain in the 2011 calendar, the FIA had stated in a press release that the decision was unanimous and that it was reached after considering all the factors and all stakeholders' concerns.
The source said that besides the fact-finding mission report of FIA vice president Carlos Gracia, the key factor that tilted the balance in favour of reinstating Bahrain was the lifting of travel advisories by Great Britain and France.
"It was difficult to make a case against the Bahrain GP in the wake of these two things," he said.
When asked about the opposition from some teams against the extension of the calendar before the decision was made, he remarked that it was for the promoters to take into account the team’s stance and let it be known to FIA. "Our decision was based on what was conveyed to us by the concerned parties," he said.
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