Formula One governing body FIA’s president Jean Todt clears his position regarding the F1 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix hosting, which was criticised by human rights groups such as Amnesty International.

Todt, who works with the UN on road safety – states that FIA is ready to an open discussion with human rights groups and express that F1 should not be concerned about racing in countries with human rights problems.

“It’s something which is very dear to my heart,” Todt said. “And since now five years I’m very much involved with the UN as secretary general special envoy for road safety.

“If you see the high level panel I made on road safety, you have Michael Ellison, a former high commissioner for human rights.”

“You have Michelle Bachelet, who is the actual high commissioner for human rights. You have Filippo Grandi, the high commissioner for refugees. So in a way, it’s a privilege I have to be discussing with them.

“Yesterday [F1 boss] Stefano [Domenicali] came to visit me, and I had Jacques Toubon, former justice minister who has been until last year in charge of human rights in France, and I spoke with him about that.

“And everybody is in favour of having races wherever around the world. I mean, we are a sport.

“It’s also something I discussed very often with the International Olympic Committee, with Thomas Bach. Because they have the same problem. And clearly we consider that sport should not be involved with politics.”

“We need to engage with NGOs [non-government organizations],” Todt said.

“And I mean, good NGOs, like Human Rights Watch, who are proper people, to try to say, what kind of contribution we can give? So we are working, we’re working on that.

“You can interpret the way that it helps you. In my opinion, going in those countries gives also the chance for people who are negative about the country to speak, which probably they would not have otherwise.

“So, as I said, it’s a lot of question of interpretation. But, for me, I feel right.”

Reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton spoken to Bahrain Grand Prix race organizers regarding the alleged human rights abuses in the country ahead of the race weekend in the country.

“There are issues all around the world, but I do not think we should be going to these countries and just ignoring what is happening in those places, arriving, having a great time and then leave,” the Brit said.