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{ Pause for thought: Red Bull driver Mark Webber has expressed his discomfort at the possibility of an F1 race going ahead in Bahrain so soon after protestor deaths Photo: ACTION IMAGES

Questions are also increasingly being asked of the FIA’s leadership. As of Sunday night the sport’s governing body had yet to make a single official statement on the crisis.

Following last week’s violence in the island kingdom, there were encouraging signs over the weekend as the army and police withdrew from Bahrain’s capital city Manama and pro-democracy protesters were allowed back into Pearl Square.

However, the overwhelming feeling within F1 — certainly from teams, sponsors and drivers — remains that it would be inappropriate to go racing just weeks after people have died and the country is attempting to build a new political consensus.

“When you hear of people losing their lives, this is a tragedy,” said Red Bull’s Webber following practice in Barcelona on Sunday. “It’s probably not the best time to go there for a sporting event. They have bigger things, bigger priorities.”

Meanwhile the warnings against “non-essential” travel issued by many governments, including the United Kingdom’s, remain in place. It seems, however, that no one wants to make the call.

Although there have been whispers that teams and drivers might boycott a race, publicly they have pledged to abide by the decision made by Formula One chief executive Bernie Ecclestone and the FIA.

There are commercial implications at play here with teams contractually obliged to turn up if the commercial rights holder stages a race.

Ecclestone repeated yesterday what he told Telegraph Sport last Tuesday, that he would leave the final decision to Bahrain’s crown prince, Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifah.

“He will decide whether it’s safe for us to be there,” Ecclestone said.

Privately, it is accepted that security is not Ecclestone’s only concern. It could prove costly to cancel the race if the Bahrainis are adamant they can stage it safely. Bahrain is thought to be paying $40 million for the grand prix, plus $20 million for the privilege of hosting the season opener.

As for the FIA, the silence from Paris has been deafening although the relationship with Bahrain is a particularly sensitive one. The Bahrain royal family has close ties to FIA president Jean Todt.

Sheikh Abdullah Bin Isa Al-Khalifa, the second son of Bahrain’s king, is a FIA World Council member and played a key role in Todt’s election in 2008. Bahrain’s crown prince is also a shareholder in Nicolas Todt’s — Jean Todt’s son’s — ART Grand Prix team.

Within the paddock Bahrain has a stake in McLaren. Its sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat owns 42 per cent of the McLaren Group and 50 per cent of McLaren Automotive, the company’s road car division.

McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton said on Sunday that he hoped the Bahrain race went ahead.

As for the broadcasters, the issue is similarly fraught with ethical and commercial dilemmas.

BBC F1 presenter Jake Humphrey hinted that he might boycott a race when he told his Twitter followers on Sunday: “For those asking. Just because the race goes ahead doesn’t mean the BBC have to be there. We’ll make a call, and I know what mine will be...”

Telegraph Sport understands, however, that the BBC, which paid an estimated £200 million for the rights to F1, will attend the grand prix if it goes ahead.

Complicating the issue is the fact that the final pre-season test is scheduled to be held at Bahrain’s Sakhir track a week before the race, from March 3-6.

“In the end the right decisions will be made,” Webber said. “It’s not a big deal to be honest because there are more things than F1 in Bahrain. Bigger priorities. That is what they want to work on over there, generations of issues.”

Agences de presses

Labels: Bahrain, civil, concerns, following, Telegraphcouk, timing, voices, Webber