Bahrain Officially Scrapped from F1 Calendar After FIA Ratification

It has been formally ratified by the International Motorsport Federation (FIA) that the Bahrain Grand Prix has been cancelled from the Formula One calendar this year after giving its backing to a revised calendar on Wednesday, ampoule June 15.

The FIA’s World Motor Sport Council voted on the new schedule, denture which will see the season finish in Brazil on November 27 as originally planned, while the new Indian Grand Prix, which had been shifted to a season-ending December 11 to accommodate the Bahrain race, will revert to its initial October 30 slot.

Bahrain’s season-opening race was postponed due to civil unrest and although Bahrain was briefly reinstated to the calendar, opposition from the competing teams forced organisers to scrap plans to stage the race this year. Although logistical concerns were cited as the reason for the opposition, doubts about the country’s security situation remain.

An FIA statement read: “Following a fax vote of the FIA World Motor Sport Council and, by unanimous decision, the FIA Formula One World Championship calendar has been ratified as originally proposed.”

FIA president Jean Todt last week insisted in a letter to the Formula One Teams Association that it was F1 rights-holder Bernie Ecclestone’s responsibility to carry out due diligence on all race hosts.