Comments on: F1 and racism: the 1985 South African Grand Prix | Grand Prix flashback http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2008/02/05/f1-and-racism-the-1985-south-african-grand-prix/ F1 Fanatic - The Formula 1 Blog with F1 news, pictures, video, comment and analysis Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:43:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Fixy http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2008/02/05/f1-and-racism-the-1985-south-african-grand-prix/comment-page-1/#comment-586579 Fixy Sat, 19 Feb 2011 14:45:20 +0000 http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2008/02/05/f1-and-racism-the-1985-south-african-grand-prix/#comment-586579 <blockquote>4. The World Championship regulations oblige the FISA to respect the international calendar, and the drivers to take part in 16 Grands Prix.</blockquote> Honestly, who cares. If in South Africa they were acting on the opposite of what minimal human rights require, F1 should not have offered the state publicity. It had to stay away, but well before 1985, to show they South Africa weren't deserving of a race.

4. The World Championship regulations oblige the FISA to respect the international calendar, and the drivers to take part in 16 Grands Prix.

Honestly, who cares. If in South Africa they were acting on the opposite of what minimal human rights require, F1 should not have offered the state publicity. It had to stay away, but well before 1985, to show they South Africa weren’t deserving of a race.

]]> By: SDFC http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2008/02/05/f1-and-racism-the-1985-south-african-grand-prix/comment-page-1/#comment-464139 SDFC Sat, 30 Oct 2010 12:49:08 +0000 http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2008/02/05/f1-and-racism-the-1985-south-african-grand-prix/#comment-464139 I was at the event working an F1 Team. I was questioned heavily entering Australia after S.A. asking why we supported the situation in S.A. I voiced that I work for a team, I am doing my job, let me in to work or deport me, I get a week off at home! S.A. then was very nice indeed, far superior to Australia. I went to Kyalami a few years later for Group C events and it was changing for the worse. In 1985 note that most F1 personnel and the cars and equipment were on special charter flights from S.A. to Australia. There were no commercial flights between the two countries at that time. Shame South Africa went away but there you have it. Great venue Kyalami. I was at the event working an F1 Team. I was questioned heavily entering Australia after S.A. asking why we supported the situation in S.A. I voiced that I work for a team, I am doing my job, let me in to work or deport me, I get a week off at home! S.A. then was very nice indeed, far superior to Australia. I went to Kyalami a few years later for Group C events and it was changing for the worse.

In 1985 note that most F1 personnel and the cars and equipment were on special charter flights from S.A. to Australia. There were no commercial flights between the two countries at that time. Shame South Africa went away but there you have it. Great venue Kyalami.

]]> By: Keith Collantine http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2008/02/05/f1-and-racism-the-1985-south-african-grand-prix/comment-page-1/#comment-171716 Keith Collantine Sat, 14 Jun 2008 08:21:26 +0000 http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2008/02/05/f1-and-racism-the-1985-south-african-grand-prix/#comment-171716 Thanks for that extra info Martin. Thanks for that extra info Martin.

]]> By: Martin B http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2008/02/05/f1-and-racism-the-1985-south-african-grand-prix/comment-page-1/#comment-171709 Martin B Sat, 14 Jun 2008 07:50:53 +0000 http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2008/02/05/f1-and-racism-the-1985-south-african-grand-prix/#comment-171709 As a South African it's embarrassing for me to read about this. It's a good thing the apartheid days are past. The reason why 1985 was the crunch year rather than 1984 or 1983 is that in 1984 there was a tremendous amount of unrest in South Africa. The government had to declare a State of Emergency, the first since the Soweto uprisings of 1976, and South Africa became a problem the world had to Do Something About. International pressure and local unrest increased, leading finally to majority rule ten years later. As a South African it’s embarrassing for me to read about this. It’s a good thing the apartheid days are past.

The reason why 1985 was the crunch year rather than 1984 or 1983 is that in 1984 there was a tremendous amount of unrest in South Africa. The government had to declare a State of Emergency, the first since the Soweto uprisings of 1976, and South Africa became a problem the world had to Do Something About. International pressure and local unrest increased, leading finally to majority rule ten years later.

]]> By: Scootin159 http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2008/02/05/f1-and-racism-the-1985-south-african-grand-prix/comment-page-1/#comment-141713 Scootin159 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 15:27:33 +0000 http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2008/02/05/f1-and-racism-the-1985-south-african-grand-prix/#comment-141713 Dan M... you do make a good point. Seems to me they took good advantage of McLaren & Renault's non-participation in the 2005 US GP. Perhaps it's more due to the circumstances of their competitor's non-participation. Dan M… you do make a good point. Seems to me they took good advantage of McLaren & Renault’s non-participation in the 2005 US GP.

Perhaps it’s more due to the circumstances of their competitor’s non-participation.

]]> By: Steven Roy http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2008/02/05/f1-and-racism-the-1985-south-african-grand-prix/comment-page-1/#comment-141699 Steven Roy Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:15:17 +0000 http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2008/02/05/f1-and-racism-the-1985-south-african-grand-prix/#comment-141699 It is not so unusual that the race happened on a Saturday. Grands Prix in some countries traditionally took place on Saturdays including the British GP which switched to Sunday in 1976. Racing at 2pm on Sundays is a modern phenomenon designed for TV companies and Bernie's bank balance. It is not so unusual that the race happened on a Saturday. Grands Prix in some countries traditionally took place on Saturdays including the British GP which switched to Sunday in 1976. Racing at 2pm on Sundays is a modern phenomenon designed for TV companies and Bernie’s bank balance.

]]> By: Dan M http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2008/02/05/f1-and-racism-the-1985-south-african-grand-prix/comment-page-1/#comment-141694 Dan M Tue, 05 Feb 2008 13:55:39 +0000 http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2008/02/05/f1-and-racism-the-1985-south-african-grand-prix/#comment-141694 Ferrari said this? "We would not want to take advantage of their non-participation." Are you sure we're talking about F1? "For the FIA to pretend otherwise is not only absurd but also displays a stupidity and indifference to world events of which we as motorsport enthusiasts are deeply ashamed." That sounds more like it! Ferrari said this?

“We would not want to take advantage of their non-participation.”

Are you sure we’re talking about F1?

“For the FIA to pretend otherwise is not only absurd but also displays a stupidity and indifference to world events of which we as motorsport enthusiasts are deeply ashamed.”

That sounds more like it!

]]> By: Keith Collantine http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2008/02/05/f1-and-racism-the-1985-south-african-grand-prix/comment-page-1/#comment-141629 Keith Collantine Tue, 05 Feb 2008 09:48:03 +0000 http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2008/02/05/f1-and-racism-the-1985-south-african-grand-prix/#comment-141629 No, but the '85 one was the last under apartheid, and it was when the protests were the most vocal. No, but the ’85 one was the last under apartheid, and it was when the protests were the most vocal.

]]> By: milos http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2008/02/05/f1-and-racism-the-1985-south-african-grand-prix/comment-page-1/#comment-141628 milos Tue, 05 Feb 2008 09:27:38 +0000 http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2008/02/05/f1-and-racism-the-1985-south-african-grand-prix/#comment-141628 was there any special reason for the South African GP to be causing such stir in 1985 and not in 1984 or before ? the apartheid policies were not launched in 1985 ... not everybody disliked going there though. just the last issue of F1 Racing mag has some stories about the January races and how the drivers enjoyed their relaxing GP weekends in South Africa ... I don't have magazine with me so I am not sure now to what years exactly that article refers, but I think it was a decade before, in 70s was there any special reason for the South African GP to be causing such stir in 1985 and not in 1984 or before ? the apartheid policies were not launched in 1985 …

not everybody disliked going there though. just the last issue of F1 Racing mag has some stories about the January races and how the drivers enjoyed their relaxing GP weekends in South Africa … I don’t have magazine with me so I am not sure now to what years exactly that article refers, but I think it was a decade before, in 70s

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