The race in Bahrain, which had been scheduled for March 13, was called off on Monday due to the political unrest that last week resulted in the deaths of six pro-democracy demonstrators.
Formula One chief executive Bernie Ecclestone has since vowed to do all he can to accommodate Bahrain later this year should peace return to the Gulf kingdom.
However, in a calendar that finishes at the end of November, there appears little room for manoeuvre.
One possibility that had been mooted was squeezing it in between the season-ending races in Abu Dhabi and Brazil, and potentially pushing the latter back to the first weekend in December.
It had been thought, though, the organisers of the Abu Dhabi race would not be willing to entertain the prospect of near-neighbours Bahrain hosting a rescheduled race so near to their own for fear of loss of revenue and exposure. Telegraph.co.uk
The two races were originally granted slots at opposite ends of the F1 calendar due to their geographical proximity and the desire to give the UAE as much exposure for its two races as F1 attempted to build a strong foundation in the region, but the cancellation of the season-opener earlier this week could lead to Bahrain needing to be returned to the calendar later in the year.
Although F1 commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone knows that it would take a lot to restore the original 20-race schedule, not least the cessation of unrest in Bahrain and finding an agreeable slot in between the remaining rounds, Mohammed ben Sulayem, the president of the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE, insists that Abu Dhabi would be willing to accommodate its neighbour if necessary.
“We are organisers of the Abu Dhabi race and we respect the [FIA’s] judgement,” ben Sulayem told the Gulf region’s National newspaper, “Finding time in the calendar is feasible. Originally, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain agreed to have a big separation on the calendar to make the most of the exposure that a grand prix brings. However, this is an emergency and in an emergency we need to work together.” Yahoo! Eurosport UK
“I spoke with Bernie and he was very straight. It wasn’t for us to decide. It was up to the Crown Prince of Bahrain because there are more important things going on there than motorsports.
“What is crucial is Bahrain get their priorities right, and I believe they have done so. Stability is the most important factor at this stage, but once it returns then we will push to bring the race back, because we know they would do the same for us.”
A report in the Daily Telegraph gives some insight into the sport’s eagerness to reschedule Bahrain. Ecclestone has revealed he will waive the race’s $40 million sanctioning fee if the event doesn’t take place, while Gulf Air pays an estimated $6m for the naming rights. And the teams also stand to lose out due to penalty clauses relating to missing races in their contracts with sponsors. ESPN F1
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