F1 drivers to urge support for Ukraine war victims before Bahrain GP

2022 Bahrain Grand Prix

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Formula 1 drivers will unite on the grid ahead of today’s Bahrain Grand Prix to show their support for charities aiding victims of the war in Ukraine.

The drivers will stand behind a banner supporting an emergency appeal by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to help children and families in the Ukraine and other conflict zones.

F1 has donated directly to appeal. Several teams have already indicated their support for UNICEF and similar fundraising drives.

Several drivers have also showed their support for those suffering as a result of the war. Pierre Gasly is wearing a special helmet with an anti-war message on the top. Sebastian Vettel, who is not participating in today’s race after testing positive for Covid-19, wore an anti-war helmet to testing in Bahrain.

The drivers previously joined together to share an anti-war message before the second pre-season test in Bahrain (pictured). The entire field at the time was present apart from Lewis Hamilton, who arrived at the circuit late due to delayed flight.

F1 has discontinued the official pre-race ‘We Race As One’ grid moment which was a feature of races during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Drivers are permitted to make other gestures of support for causes close to them if they choose.

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2022 Bahrain Grand Prix

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Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...
Claire Cottingham
Claire has worked in motorsport for much of her career, covering a broad mix of championships including Formula One, Formula E, the BTCC, British...

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2 comments on “F1 drivers to urge support for Ukraine war victims before Bahrain GP”

  1. Formula 1 drivers unite to show their support only for that specific war victims.

  2. First of all I think this is great. It is great that the drivers use their platform to stand up for human rights. Yet I want to question the choice of GDPA, only setting a sign against the war in Ukraine.

    What about the war Bahrain is in?!
    I would not raise this question if the race would not be in the Arabia peninsula, but was there ever such a message regarding the war in Yemen?
    The war in Yemen is going on since 2014!, many – especially children – are starving to death. There is a famine since 2016, a 5 year long Cholera outbreak just ended.
    Bahrain voted against a resolution at the end of 2021 to further investigate potential war crimes in the Yemen war.
    According to Save the Children just in January 2022 599 people were either killed or wounded! Also according to Oxfam there were 43 airstrikes against Civilian targets.

    I know and I don’t want to somehow argue one war is worse then the other! But they are in Bahrain, and I think this is a missed chance.
    I do not really care which country in the is larger then the other, so basically my major issue is not that one country violates International law, what I care about are the humans and their rights, as they are universal and not made up just like countries. And that’s why a part of me is disappointed that the abysmal situation for the humans in Yemen and the brutal war there is not addressed, but the other part is clearly happy about the fact that at least on issue or conflict is addressed. And finally at least I took the stand and kinda used the protest to raise awareness for the Yemen conflict, if anyone has read my post :)

    And truth the be told I didn’t even knew for a long time that Bahrain was part of the Saudi coalition, as I thought they would be cautious since the almost revolution in (2013?).

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