Ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend, the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) has criticised F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali for failing to address ongoing human rights abuses tied to its presence in the country.
In the letter sent, BIRD urged Domenicali to come on the record and share if any steps have been taken to ensure that Bahraini citizens do not face reprisals for exercising their fundamental rights. They also asked him to back his claim that “F1 is a force for good” and provide evidence that F1’s presence in the country does not contribute to human rights abuses.
Read the full letter here.
Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, Director of Advocacy at the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD), commenting:
“We have been told that F1 takes its responsibility on human rights seriously, yet it shuts the door on anyone who exposes inconvenient truths about repressive host states, including Bahrain.
F1 has lost all shreds of credibility by choosing to remain silent and failing even to acknowledge the concerns raised by activists and victims.”
FIA’s Free Speech Crackdown
BIRD has also accused the FIA of using dictators’ playbook to restrict drivers’ free speech. In a separate letter sent to FIA’s President of the Senate and General Manager, raising alarm about the new Stewards Penalty Guidelines, published by the FIA on 22 January 2025, which impose severe penalties and restrict the free speech of drivers.
Read the full letter here.
According to the new Stewards Penalty Guidelines, published on 22 January 2025, F1 World Championship drivers would face fines of €40,000 for making political, religious or personal statements that the FIA considers violate its “principle of neutrality” (article 12.2.1.o of FIA’s 2025 International Sporting Code (ISC).
Drivers would also be required to issue a public apology and repudiation of comments, and repeated violations would result in temporary suspension and deduction of Championship points.
Criticism of the FIA may also result in similar penalties, as “causing moral injury or loss to the FIA, its bodies, its members or its executive officers” is considered an offense in breach of FIA rules (article 12.2.1.f of the ISC).
