Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone has admitted, he is concerned that anti-government protesters in Bahrain may use the coverage of the opening grand prix of the season on March 13 to make a statement to the world.
However, Formula One’s commercial chief told that it was still too early to say whether growing unrest in the region would affect the race.
Tensions in the island kingdom grew on Tuesday as police clashed with mourners at the funeral of a Shi'ite protester shot dead during Monday’s "Day of Rage" demonstration.
At least one person was killed in the melee, according to witnesses and police. Ecclestone said he had been trying unsuccessfully to get hold of Crown Prince Salman ibn Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa.
“He is a bit busy, as you can imagine, so I don’t know yet exactly what is going on,” Ecclestone said.
“The danger is obvious isn’t it? If these people wanted to make a fuss and get worldwide recognition it would be bloody easy, wouldn’t it? You start making a problem on the start grid in Bahrain and it would get worldwide coverage.”
Asked if there was a danger the race could be called off, Ecclestone said: “I have no idea. It’s hard to establish exactly what is going in.
“As I say, I’m speaking with the Crown Prince later on. We’re watching events closely. We’ll rely on what they think the right thing to do is.”
The death of the mourner enraged others at the funeral who began chanting anti-government slogans inspired by protests that toppled the rulers of Egypt and Tunisia.
Bahrain is a small non-OPEC oil-producer whose mainly Shi'ite population has long complained of discrimination by the ruling Sunni al-Khalifa family. Officials deny there is discrimination.
Formula One has not been entirely oblivious to the undercurrent of discontent since its first visit in 2004. There have been occasional flare-ups in the Sanabis district in the outskirts of Manama, not to mention a heavy police presence.
Ecclestone said he had never had any worries for his safety in Bahrain, echoing a comment he made last autumn following Jenson Button’s mugging in Sao Paulo when he remarked that the Brazilian city was “safer” than London.
As if to prove his point, Ecclestone’s face was left badly bruised after he and his girlfriend were mugged in Knightsbridge in November. He added that he was confident the Crown Prince would do the right thing.
“He [the Crown Prince] is a very realistic person,” Ecclestone said. “I have never had any problems in Bahrain in the past and I’m happy to walk around town there. But we don’t know now. The world is changing.”
The 80 year-old said that no team had yet been in touch regarding the protests. The final pre-season test is due to take place at the Bahrain International Circuit the week before the grand prix, from March 3-6.
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