Bahrain GP Rescheduling Still in Doubt Amid Ecclestone Fears

The scheduling of the Bahrain Grand Prix into the 2011 season Formula One schedule may still be in doubt after rights-holder Bernie Ecclestone raised fresh concerns about the safety situation in the troubled Middle Eastern country.

The race was initially postponed from its season opener slot on March 13 a month in advance due to civil unrest. The Grand Prix was reinstated to the calendar last week, with the event scheduled for October 30 after A vote by the International Motorsport Federation’s (FIA) World Motor Sport Council saw the Grand Prix reinstated last week, pushing the new Indian Grand Prix back to the end of the season on December 11 in turn.

However, Ecclestone stated in The Times newspaper that the race could be shifted to the end of the season, saying: “The way things are at the moment, we have no idea what is going to happen. Better that we move Bahrain to the end of the season and, if things are safe and well, then that is fine, we can go. If they are not, then we don’t go and there are no problems.

“We listened to that report from the FIA and that was saying there were no problems at all in Bahrain. But that is not what I am hearing and I think we can see that we need to be careful.”

Former FIA president Max Mosley, who spoke out against the decision to restore Bahrain to the F1 calendar at the weekend, told the BBC on Tuesday: “I will be astonished if the event goes ahead. I don’t think it will happen.” Mosley said the FIA did not have the authority to make changes to the calendar without the written consent of the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA). You need the written agreement of every team and I don’t believe that is going to be forthcoming.”