F1 Teams Opposition to Bahrain Reschedule Likely to See GP Dropped

The decision to reinstate the Bahrain Grand Prix may well prove to be a swiftly rescinded one according to Formula One rights-holder Bernie Ecclestone, who admitted yesterday, June 8, that the F1 teams opposition of the rescheduling is likely to see the race dropped from the 2011 calendar after all.

The International Motorsport Federation’s (FIA) voted to reschedule the previously postponed race, pegged to be the season opener in March, for October 30, in turn pushing the date and indeed preparation deadlines for the new Indian Grand Prix back until December 11, becoming the season-ending race.

The civil unrest in the Gulf nation which saw the initial Grand Prix postponed still hangs over Bahrain and Ecclestone has now acknowledged that the race’s precarious slot on the 2011 calendar looks doomed after F1 teams opposed the race being reinstated to the schedule.

Ecclestone told the BBC: “Hopefully there will be peace and quiet and we can return in the future, but of course it’s not on. The schedule cannot be rescheduled without the agreement of the participants…they’re the facts.”

The Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) wrote to the FIA and Ecclestone with their concerns that, aside from security questions, the teams are against extending the season into December due to logistical reasons.

An FOTA spokesperson to Reuters: “The teams have discussed the 2011 calendar within FOTA and have expressed their considered views privately in a letter to the FIA, FOM (Ecclestone) and BIC (Bahrain Circuit). It would be inappropriate therefore to comment further at this stage.”