Corona, Hamilton & human rights: This is the state of affairs

The question of questions: What does Hamilton do? No matter how difficult or perhaps ultimately not it becomes for the 36-year-old Lewis Hamilton, with another World Cup triumph the Briton would finally eclipse everything that has come before in the sport. Michael Schumacher's seven World Cup triumphs would lose their miracle status. And then?

After the lack of agreement beyond this season, the issue will come up again race weekend after race weekend. “It doesn’t feel like this is the end for me,” said Hamilton in Bahrain and predicted the “most exciting” season ever. Hamilton, who continues to show no signs of motivational fatigue, also said: “In the next eight months or so I'll find out if I'm ready to quit. But I don't think I will.” But there will only be certainty once he has signed a new contract. Mercedes prefers summer as the decision-making phase. The question of the imponderables The season actually started two weeks ago, and a trip to China was actually planned for April. The corona pandemic is also forcing Formula 1 to take detours. Just one race next month with the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix (April 18). Unusual, especially with a record calendar with 23 Grand Prix. But there was no other way. And no one can be sure whether the current plan will work if the virus and its mutations drive the numbers even further up in Europe and around the world. Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz was vaccinated in Sakhir. © APA/afp / ANDREJ ISAKOVIC

In what is probably the most travel-intensive sports industry, some people accepted the offer in Bahrain to get vaccinated. “In Europe, I don’t know how long you have to wait until you get vaccinated,” said Alpha Tauri team boss Franz Tost: “Health is the most important thing.” The entire team received care. Also almost the entire Ferrari workforce on site, including new driver Carlos Sainz. Sergio Perez from Red Bull also had himself vaccinated. The question of human rights Bernie Ecclestone turned Formula 1 into a global company with billions in sales - and did not stop at countries that were sometimes accused of serious human rights violations. But his successors also walk the fine line between profit maximization and morality in the highly commercialized racing sport; a race will take place for the first time in Saudi Arabia at the beginning of December.

Bahrain has been on the racing calendar since 2004. Ten years ago, the race was canceled due to violent unrest in the small Middle Eastern kingdom, in which people were killed. For the first time in the history of Formula 1, which has existed since 1950, a race did not take place for political reasons. Lewis Hamilton received letters from torture victims in Bahrain. © APA/afp / LARS BARON

Last year, superstar Hamilton received letters from torture victims. When asked about it, he said he wanted to find out more. When we returned to Bahrain for the start of the season, it came up again. Hamilton: “I have tried to deal with the topic over the past few months. In all the years we have been coming here, I was not aware of all the details regarding possible human rights violations.”

He spoke to human rights lawyers and human rights organizations such as Amnesty International, he met with the British ambassador to Bahrain and also with representatives from Bahrain. He did not reveal the contents of the conversation. But Hamilton said: "I don't think we should go to countries and ignore what's happening there, have a good time and leave."

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Corona, Hamilton & human rights: This is the state of affairs

In the season of superlatives before the next major Formula 1 reform, there are question marks. It's not just Corona that remains a hot topic.

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