APRIL 19, 2012

Force India bus in fire bomb escape

Two F1 race personnel associated with the Force India team are flying home after a team minivan was caught in disruption on the main motorway into Bahrain's Manama on Wednesday evening.

Two F1 race personnel associated with the Force India team are flying home after a team minivan was caught in disruption on the main motorway into Bahrain's Manama on Wednesday evening.

The incident happened around 20 minutes from Bahrain International Circuit, as four Force India team personnel aboard an unmarked team van came upon disruption on the motorway, where there was stationary traffic caused by fire on the road.

The van also came to a standstill and there was a degree of concern as protestors started to approach from the rear and a Molotov cocktail landed close by. Police then fired tear gas from a position in close proximity to the van. The team members then managed to return to the hotel without harm.

Subsequently, one team member and one independent Force India contractor made personal decisions that they wanted no further part in the grand prix and asked for immediate arrangements to be made to return home.

Force India driver Nico Hulkenberg said: "It's obviously not right that that sort of stuff happens. We are here to race. The F1 business is about entertainment, and these sorts of things should not really be happening to us.

"Whether it is right or not I don't really know. It's difficult to say. I am not a politician, I am an F1 driver, but it should not really be happening should it?

"It's not good that we have to worry about it: that is the way it is now, and let's see and hope that the rest of the weekend is good and calm."

A contracted member of the Williams catering staff, meanwhile, left 'by mutual consent' after China, having taken the decision that she did not wish to venture to Bahrain.