Share

Ferrari plays politics in India

NEW DELHI, India - Ferrari will race with the flag of the Italian navy on its cars at the 2012 Indian F1 GP in a gesture of support for two Italian sailors charged with killing Indian fishermen.

The Italian team said on its website on Wednesday, Oct 24, 2012, that it would pay tribute to the navy as "one of the outstanding entities of our country".

MISTAKEN FOR PIRATES


The gesture was "also in the hope the Indian and Italian authorities will soon find a solution to the situation involving two sailors from the Italian navy".

The sailors were part of a military security team protecting a cargo ship from pirate attack when they mistakenly fired on a fishing boat off the Indian coast in February 2012.

Italian officials say the sailors, released on bail in June, 2012 in the western state of Kerala to await trial, mistook the fishermen for pirates.

The case has caused outrage in India and soured relations with Italy, which says the detained sailors are military personnel who should be tried at home.

Italy recalled its envoy from New Delhi in May to signal the country's "strong displeasure" with the Indian government's handling of the incident.

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso is fighting for the F1 championship with Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel who has a six-point lead with four races to go.

Should F1 teams get involved in such political posturing, or just get on with the racing? Let's have your views in the Readers' Comments section below, or email Wheels24.
We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()