Ecclestone: Crown Prince to Decide on Bahrain F1 by Tomorrow

Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has revealed that the decision as to whether it is safe to stage the opening Grand Prix race of the season in Bahrain will be left to the country’s crown prince. 

Fears have been mounting rapidly over the safety of drivers, teams and spectators alike as the country is currently in the middle of large-scale protests that have seen six people killed after police fired live rounds at protesters demanding reform.

Human rights protesters are believed to have targeted the high profile event as a way of getting more exposure to their cause.

However, according to media reports, Ecclestone has said that crown prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifah was in the best position to make the call having stated: “He will decide whether it’s safe for us to be there, I’ve no idea. I’m not there, so I don’t know.” 

Ecclestone said a decision on whether the race on 13 March could go ahead would be made on Tuesday, February 22.

Holding the race on that date in another location has been ruled out as there would not be enough time for alternative organisers to make the necessary arrangements, but Ecclestone confirmed that the Bahrain race could be moved to another date later in the year.