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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.

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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. 

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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.

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