Bahrain GP Given Extended Deadline

Bahrain has been given until 3rd June to decide whether the postponed Bahrain Grand Prix can go ahead this season.

The race was originally scheduled to open the 2011 season but was called off following civil unrest in the Gulf kingdom.

The decision to cancel the race was made by Bahrain’s Crown Prince with Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone commenting that it was the correct decision.

A spokesman for the sports governing body, the FIA, said the decision was taken after consultation with the relevant Bahraini authorities and Formula One Management.

Bahrain is still under martial law after a month of protests, which followed uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt.

Bahrain International Circuit chairman Zayed Rashid Alzayani said in a statement: ‘We look forward to welcoming the teams and drivers and everyone involved in Formula 1 back to Bahrain in the very near future’.

If Bahrain is restored to the 2011 calendar, it has been suggested previously that it could become the penultimate race of the season.

Ecclestone is believed to be considering 20th November, the week after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which could mean the season-ending race in Brazil being delayed a week.

Ecclestone commented: ‘Things can change in a couple of weeks… so you don’t know. All of a sudden everything might be peaceful in a month’s time and they are happy to run the event and so we are happy to be there’.

‘We need to wait a little bit to see exactly how progress is made. I suppose we’d be safe by early June or something like that’.

The circuit had originally been given a deadline for the decision of 1st May.