Bahrain Grand Prix to be rescheduled for end of F1 season
By ANIMonday, February 21, 2011
DUBAI - The Bahrain Grand Prix, which was going to be held from March 11-13, is likely to be rescheduled to the end of the season, taking place after the Kuala Lumpur GP and before the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi.
Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has little choice other than to sacrifice the start of the 2011 world championship, after the UK Foreign Office on Sunday advised against all non-essential travel to the Gulf state.
“We have been told to step down our operations,” Gulf News quoted an official with a German race team, as saying.
The decison to postpone the Bahrain race will be confirmed later on Monday if not before Wednesday’s deadline imposed by Ecclestone .
Ferrari legend Niki Lauda has argued for common sense to prevail regarding the Grand Prix, scheduled for March 13. “The race should be cancelled,” he said.
Mercedes president Norbert Haug added: “The safety of our employees is more important than anything else.”
Ecclestone said he will rely on Bahrain’s Crown Prince to decide whether the island is safe enough to host the season-opening grand prix next month.
Ecclestone told the BBC on Sunday that Crown Prince Shaikh Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa “would decide whether or not it’s safe for us to be there.” (ANI)
