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Bahrain's crown prince is coming to terms with the fact his country may be unable to stage a grand prix this season. Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa called off next month's season opener following talks with the Formula One commercial rights holder, Bernie Ecclestone, in response to the recent anti-government demonstrations which have resulted in six deaths. But hopes of shoe-horning another date into an already crowded calendar near the end of the season are receding.

There is a blank weekend on 20 November, between the penultimate race in Abu Dhabi on 13 November and the climax to the season in Brazil on 27 November. But that would mean three races in as many weeks and would meet with strong objections from drivers and teams, particularly if it came at the end of a close season with both world championships undecided.

Race officials in Abu Dhabi would also resist any move to follow their race with a thunder-stealer in their backyard. They are already smarting after losing the kudos of staging the last race of the season, which they held last year.

Brazil, it is understood, has paid extra money to regain that honour and nor would it welcome its race being put back a week, for it would clash with the climax to the domestic football season. The only alternative would be to stage the Bahrain race during the mid-season break in August, but the heat would be almost unbearable then.

Ecclestone said: "We're looking to see how we can slot it in. We don't know. I'm disappointed that it has now been postponed, but if you look at the way that part of the world is at the moment, it is the only thing anyone could do." Ecclestone is not out of pocket since it was Bahrain which called off the race.

Martin Whitmarsh, the McLaren team principal, joined the support for the decision, saying: "The cancellation of any grand prix is always a disappointment for all concerned but, bearing in mind the situation in the Middle East at present, we fully support the Crown Prince's decision."

The Formula One season will now start in Melbourne on March 27.

Labels: Bahrain, faces, Grand, Guardian, likely, means, season

The race was postponed because of civil unrest in the country and the season will now begin a fortnight later in Australia on 27 March.

"I don't think the extra two weeks will make a huge difference," Red Bull driver Webber told BBC Sport.

"It's the same for everybody. We are always prepared to race in two weeks."

The Formula 1 teams were due to complete their winter testing at Bahrain's Sakhir Circuit between 3-6 March before taking part in the race meeting over the following weekend.

However, the race was called off on Monday by Bahrain's Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa so the country could focus on its "national interest".

The sport's governing body the FIA supported the decision to postpone the Bahrain Grand Prix, adding that it could still be rescheduled later in the year.

The teams have agreed to return for a second test at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya on 8-10 March before opening their campaigns at in Australia, which hosted the season-opener between 1996-2005 and again from 2007-2009.

"The freight will still have to leave for Melbourne pretty early," added Webber. "I suppose you've got another 10 days' headroom, but it is swings and roundabouts."

BBC F1 commentator Martin Brundle agreed that most teams' programmes would not be disrupted by the delayed start to the season.

"Drivers have a mindset that if there's a race on you go racing, if there's not, you don't," said Brundle.

"There were 19 events last year and there will be 19 this year by the looks of it. It's not like we're short of grands prix this year."

Holding the final test session and the first race of 2011 on the same circuit at Bahrain might have helped teams to set up their car and gain an increased insight into tyre performance.

However, there are some Formula 1 insiders who believe that the delay could actually help some teams who now have extra time before the season starts.

There is an unexpected opportunity to develop the cars at the teams' factories and to make sure any significant upgrades are now ready for the first race.

Brundle commented: "It will help some teams that were struggling to make fast and reliable cars. It will play into their hands."

The extra time could be important to teams such as McLaren, Renault, Mercedes and Team Lotus whose testing has been hindered by reliability problems.

At the second test in Jerez, where McLaren debuted their 2011 car, the team were let down by a lack of spare parts while hydraulic problems halted Jenson Button's progress in Barcelona.

Lewis Hamilton was also hindered by technical issues and the team are yet to complete a full race simulation.

The 26-year-old did manage to clock 107 laps in sporadic runs on Monday but Hamilton finished 1.378 seconds off Felipe Massa's pacesetting time for Ferrari.

After two days at the wheel in Barcelona, Button had said: "I still don't know where we stand."

McLaren are understood to be working hard on upgrading their exhaust package at their technology centre and extra time to do just that might help them close the perceived gap on pacesetters Red Bull and Ferrari.

Renault lost valuable time in Barcelona because of problems with the kinetic energy recovery device (Kers), which makes its return in 2011.

Waiting to start the season in Melbourne could arguably also benefit Mercedes after an inconsistent showing from the German team in testing while Team Lotus, who are hoping to chase down the midfield runners in their second season, had to cut short their test when a recurring radiator leak resulted in Jarno Trulli crunching into the tyre wall.

After three pre-season tests, Red Bull and Ferrari have emerged as the teams to watch from a field of 12. Both have hit the ground running in terms of reliability and have been around the top of the timings as well as successfully completing race and qualifying simulations.

F1 team insiders also believe the Red Bull and Ferrari cars have worked efficiently regardless of how much fuel they had onboard.

However the delayed start of the season could see rival teams feverishly try to make up lost ground.

Webber was cautious about saying how far Red Bull, who won both titles in 2010, are ahead of their competitors.

"Not very," he added with a grimace. "We are burying ourselves in there. We've still got work to do.

"It would be nice to go racing as soon as possible to see where we are."

Labels: Bahrain, cancellation, Teams, Webber

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has insisted postponing the Bahrain Grand Prix was the only way forward for fear of potential trouble during the race weekend.

In the wake of the political upheaval in the Gulf kingdom, human rights activists had threatened to target the race to further their cause, but following discussions between the crown prince, Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, Ecclestone and the FIA, it was felt to call off the race was the best course of action.

"I'm a little bit disappointed that it has now been postponed, but if you look at the way that part of the world is at the moment, it is the only thing anyone could do," Ecclestone told BBC Sport. "The crown prince and I discussed the whole thing and did what we thought was right for everybody."

He added: "We were happy to go along with more or less what he had in mind. It would have been no good us saying 'No, we're going to be there whether you like it or not'.

"The crown prince thought it was the correct thing to do, and that would be on safety obviously. Can you imagine if everybody had been there and suddenly there had been a little bit of an uprising again? It would have been bad for everyone."

Prince Salman cited his country's need for time to heal as one of the primary reasons behind the decision.

"At the present time the country's entire attention is focused on building a new national dialogue for Bahrain," said Prince Salman.

"Although Bernie Ecclestone had graciously made clear a decision on the race was entirely Bahrain's to make and was not yet required, we felt it was important for the country to focus on immediate issues of national interest and leave the hosting of Bahrain's Formula One race to a later date.

"I would like to extend my personal gratitude to Bernie Ecclestone for his support and understanding.

"After the events of the past week, our nation's priority is on overcoming tragedy, healing divisions and rediscovering the fabric that draws this country together, reminding the world of the very best that Bahrain is capable of as a nation once again united."

Labels: Association, Bahrain, Chief, choice, Press

Labels: Bahrain, CALLS, Grand, Prince, Times

By Simon Cass Motor Racing Reporter
Last updated at 11:25 PM on 21st February 2011

The Bahrain Grand Prix has been called off after the Arab state's rulers admitted it was too dangerous to stage the opening race of the Formula One season on March 13 due to the continued political unrest.

The first race will now be held in Melbourne, Australia, two weeks later. No decision has been taken over whether Bahrain will get the chance to host a race later this year.

The Bahrain race had been in doubt for more than a week due to anti-government protests but crown prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa has now conceded defeat.

He said: 'We must focus on immediate issues of national interest and leave the hosting to a later date.

'Our nation's priority is on overcoming tragedy, healing divisions and rediscovering the fabric that draws us together to remind the world of the best that Bahrain is capable of as a nation.'

Labels: Bahrain, cancel, country, daily, Dangerous, Formula, opener, rulers

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.”

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

By Sportsmail Reporter Last updated at 7:27 PM on 20th February 2011

Mark Webber insists the Bahrain Grand Prix should be called off if the political unrest which is gripping the Arab state is not resolved.

The Red Bull driver said: 'When you hear of people losing their lives, this is a tragedy.

'It's probably not the best time to go there for a sporting event. They have bigger things, bigger priorities.

'In the end the right decisions will be made. Maybe it is still the first race, maybe Melbourne is the first race, we don't know.

'It's not a big deal to be honest because there are more things than Formula 1 in Bahrain.

'They have bigger things, bigger priorities and that is what they want to work on over there, generations of issues.

'That's the most important thing for them to sort out and not to worry about Formula 1.'

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has stated he will leave the decision about whether to call off the season opener to Bahrain's crown prince, Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifah. 

Labels: Bahrain, Bullaposs, called, daily, Grand, should, suggests, Webber

Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone told BBC Sport that the decision whether to hold the race on 13 March would be down to the Gulf state's crown prince.

Webber said: "When you hear of people losing their lives, this is a tragedy.

"It's probably not the best time to go there for a sporting event. They have bigger things, bigger priorities."

Protestors have re-occupied a square in the centre of Bahrain's capital Manama following the decision of the crown prince, Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifah, to withdraw security forces.

In the early hours of Thursday, six people were killed as police cleared Pearl Square, firing live rounds at protestors.

The crown prince, who established the grand prix, has been charged with holding talks with opposition groups over reform in the country.

Opposition figures have said they want political reforms that will lead to a constitutional monarchy.

Some protesters have also called on King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifah, the crown prince's father, to step down.

Webber, who finished third in the drivers' championship in 2010 after leading it for much of the season, is the first major F1 figure to voice concerns about whether it would be right to race in Bahrain in the circumstances.

The Australian, 35, added: "In the end the right decisions will be made. Maybe it is still the first race, maybe Melbourne is the first race, we don't know.

"It's not a big deal to be honest because there are more things than Formula 1 in Bahrain.

"They have bigger things, bigger priorities and that is what they want to work on over there, generations of issues.

"That's the most important thing for them to sort out and not to worry about Formula 1."

Earlier on Sunday, Ecclestone told BBC Sport he felt the crown prince was the right man to make the decision about whether to hold the race.

"He will decide whether it's safe for us to be there," Ecclestone said.

"I've no idea. I'm not there, so I don't know.

"We won't advise people to go unless it's safe."

The 80-year-old said a decision about the event would be made on Tuesday.

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

That would mean many F1 team members being in the country for more than two weeks at a time when the situation is changing by the day.

Teams have already discussed contingency plans amid widespread expectation that the Bahrain test will be cancelled and moved to either Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya, Jerez in south-west Spain or the Portimao track on the Portuguese Algarve.

Labels: Bahrain, doubts, Grand, Sport, voices, Webber

Ecclestone began Friday “hopeful” that Formula One’s season-opening grand prix on March 13 would go ahead. However, the F1 chief executive later said the situation had deteriorated: “We should wait and see what happens over the weekend.”

On Thursday, following the cancellation of this weekend’s GP2 Asia race in Bahrain, Ecclestone had suggested that he would make a decision on the grand prix “by Tuesday or Wednesday”.

But with a lull in the violence as protesters gathered at Sitra for funerals, the 80 year-old felt sufficiently emboldened to predict that the turmoil might blow itself out. “Our people there say: ‘It’s quiet, no problems’,” Ecclestone said around lunchtime.

“I hope we don’t have to do anything. Let’s hope this all blows away. I’m more hopeful today than I was yesterday. In these parts there have always been skirmishes. Perhaps it’s a bit more than that.”

Later, having been appraised of the latest violence, Ecclestone backtracked considerably. “From what I’ve been told it’s a bit different to this morning because of this funeral that’s gone on which is what you would expect, I suppose.”

Asked if he feared there was now less chance of the race going ahead, he said: “I don’t fear anything, I just think things have changed and that we should wait and see over the weekend exactly what changes there have been.”

Asked about potential damage to the image of F1 if the sport visited the country at this time, Ecclestone said: “It seems as if people thought Bahrain was democratic a few weeks ago.

“Let’s wait and see, because we don’t know what the protesting is really about.”

He added that he “hadn’t thought” about the commercial implications of cancelling the race. The last grand prix to be rescheduled was the 1985 Belgian race.

Ecclestone said: “We scheduled that later. We may be able to do the same with this one. I hope things will just carry on as normal. Obviously some people were killed, nobody’s happy with that, I’m quite sure.”

In Barcelona, where F1 teams are conducting the third of four pre-season tests, a meeting took place last night to discuss their approach to the crisis.

The fourth test is due to take place at the Sakhir circuit from March 3-6 but it is understood there is not much appetite from within F1 to travel to Bahrain in the present climate.

A spokesperson for the Circuit de Catalunya said that the teams had checked if it would be available to hold the March test if necessary. The circuit confirmed that it would be.

World champion Sebastian Vettel set the fastest time of the day in Barcelona, more than one second faster than Fernando Alonso in a Ferrari. Jenson Button was fifth fastest in his McLaren.

Labels: Bahrain, Bernie, cautious, Ecclestone, Formula, riots, Telegraphcouk

Next month's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix could be disrupted by anti-government protests, according to a local human rights group.

The country has become the latest Arab nation to experience substantial public unrest in the wake of events in Tunisia and Egypt. Although protests were initially peaceful, two people have so far been killed, further inflaming an increasingly volatile situation.

With the international spotlight set to focus on the country for the start of the new F1 season on March 13, Nabeel Rajab, the vice president of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, feels certain protesters will look to take advantage.

"For sure F1 is not going to be peaceful this time," he told Arabian Business. "There'll be lots of journalists, a lot of people looking and (the government) will react in a stupid manner as they have done, and that will be bloody, but will be more publicised.

"This will not stop, especially now when people have died. I don't think it's going to stop easily."

Labels: Association, Bahrain, Press, Protests, threaten