Spanish GP under threat...

<T-K> · Post by **<T-K>** » Sat May 02, 2009 7:06 am

I have been reading a bunch of articles about the Spanish GP being under threat due to the swine flu outbreak...

Apparently Catalunya has the highest infection rate in the whole of Europe and there have been concerns about holding a mass gathering in such an area...

There have been talks about the Spanish GP either being cancelled or alternatively being run without spectators being allowed into the event....A football game at the Azteca stadium(in Mexico city) was played in front of empty grandstands for this precise reason. The A1 GP in Mexico has also been cancelled by the powers that be..
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/74932"

I wonder if there is any real threat to the race...or if there is any real need for anything like this? It seems a bit out of proportion to me...

Spanish GP under threat:
http://www.zerotohundred.com/2009/auto- ... pectators/

Spanish GP concerns
http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/n ... 1712.shtml

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Sat May 02, 2009 8:42 am

I reckon this is the biggest media beat-up since they laughed at Noah.

It is the "FLU" for chrissakes. Just a variant of the common flu. Yes, it will make you sick. Yes it can even kill you..............IF you do not hydrate and take appropriate medication and rest. Just the same as any other strain, variant, whatever of influenza.
Politicians are white faced, because they have to be seen to be doing something for once, yet they have to try and keep the populations calm. This requires intelligent thought.Enuff said?.
In the meantime the drug companies are laughing themselves well.

<T-K> · Post by **<T-K>** » Sat May 02, 2009 9:17 am

Julian Mayo wrote:I reckon this is the biggest media beat-up since they laughed at Noah.
It is the "FLU" for chrissakes. Just a variant of the common flu. Yes, it will make you sick. Yes it can even kill you..............IF you do not hydrate and take appropriate medication and rest. Just the same as any other strain, variant, whatever of influenza.
Politicians are white faced, because they have to be seen to be doing something for once, yet they have to try and keep the populations calm. This requires intelligent thought.Enuff said?.
In the meantime the drug companies are laughing themselves well.

Agreed!!! Tis rather exaggerated by the media if you ask me...

It will be a touch over the top if they decide to cancel the race over it...

I don't think they would go to such extremes though...But stranger things have happened...

Ed · Post by Ed » Sat May 02, 2009 2:29 pm

I too agree that cancelling the event or running it without spectators is over the top. The other day there was the Champions League semifinal between Barcelona and Chelsea and the stadium was full.

If the situation remains as is, I suspect the race will proceed as normal. However if the World Health Organisation raises the threat level to 6 - Pandemic (it is currently 5) then the race will be in question.

Related stories:
Swine flu threatens Spanish grand prix
Report - GP but no spectators in Spain?
Spanish F1 venue hits back at swine flu panic

<T-K> · Post by **<T-K>** » Sat May 02, 2009 8:30 pm

Ed wrote:I too agree that cancelling the event or running it without spectators is over the top.

I doubt the teams will mind....They can just pretend they are back in Bahrain

RE30B#16 · Post by **RE30B#16** » Sun May 03, 2009 4:58 am

<T-K> wrote:Agreed!!! Tis rather exaggerated by the media if you ask me...

It will be a touch over the top if they decide to cancel the race over it...

I don't think they would go to such extremes though...But stranger things have happened...

It seems everything must acquiesce into hysteria.

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Sun May 03, 2009 7:33 am

<T-K> wrote:
Ed wrote:I too agree that cancelling the event or running it without spectators is over the top.
I doubt the teams will mind....They can just pretend they are back in Bahrain

Or China..............