'F1 drivers initially unanimous for cancellation of Saudi Arabia GP'
F1 News
- GPblog.com
The Formula 1 drivers proved to be a bigger obstacle to the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix than the organisers ever expected. Stefano Domenicali, Ross Brawn and the team bosses reportedly struggled to convince the drivers to race. In fact, the drivers were reportedly initially unanimous against the race going ahead.
That there was disagreement about whether or not to cancel the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was clear, but according to The Telegraph there was indeed unanimity. The drivers reportedly initially agreed not to race, even after Domenicali and Brawn joined the meeting and left again around 01:30.
'F1 drivers unanimously opposed GP Saudi Arabia'
After the departure of the Formula 1 chiefs, the team bosses joined the conversation. They would have convinced their drivers of the importance of allowing the race to go ahead. The drivers continued to meet for over an hour until the decision was passed on to the organizers.
So in the end, the drivers went over, but they issued a clear statement. The meeting lasted over four hours and according to the latest reports, the drivers were only convinced after their team bosses spent some time talking to them. This also indicates that they do not blindly trust the FIA and the organizers as their team bosses do.