A prominent human rights group has written to Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali to raise serious concerns over what it claims is the sport’s ongoing role in “sportswashing” ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix.

... the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) has urged F1 and the FIA, motorsport’s governing body, not to “sportswash the blood-soaked images” of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, which hosts a race on March 19...

“Despite horrific human rights records, both states enjoy generous F1 contracts and exploit the F1 platform to sanitize their image on the world stage, while thousands of political prisoners languish behind bars,” Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, BIRD’s Advocacy Director...

“F1 must establish an independent and impartial inquiry to examine the role of their races in human rights violations, and the FIA must adopt a human rights policy consistent with UN principles."...

... an F1 spokesperson in a statement to CNN: “For decades Formula 1 has worked hard be a positive force everywhere it races, including economic, social, and cultural benefits...

“The FIA will continue to work on projects that bring positive benefits to the wider society, acting always within its scope as the regulator of world motor sport,” the federation added.