The Bahrain Grand Prix is scheduled for March 13, with F1 workers due to be in the country 10 days earlier. F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone said he would wait until next week to decide whether to go ahead with the race.
Ecclestone said he spoke Thursday to Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa about the situation.
“It's not good is it?” Ecclestone said. “We'll have to keep our eye on things and make a decision quickly. I spoke to the crown prince this morning. He doesn't know any more than you or I, but they're monitoring exactly what is going on. Next week we will make a decision on what we are going to do.” Organizers said the GP2 race slated for Friday and Saturday was called off at request of the Bahrain Motorsport Federation.
No further information was available.
Governing body FIA has expressed confidence that the anti-government protests on the island nation in the Gulf would not prevent the running of the F1 race.
“We are constantly in touch with both the national authorities and local authorities,” FIA spokesman Norman Howell said. “We are monitoring the situation.”
