Saturday, February 19, 2011

Dark Shadow on Bahrain GP

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The GP2 Asia Series race in Bahrain was cancelled on Thursday amid anti-government protests and also put distress on F1 Bahrain GP.
The Bahrain Grand Prix is scheduled for 13 March, with F1 workers due to be in the country 10 days earlier.
Bernie Ecclestone said he will wait until next week to decide whether to go ahead with the race. He also spoke to Crown Prince Sheik Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa on Thursday 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."
Organisers of GP2 said race slated for Friday and Saturday was called off at the request of the Bahrain Motorsport Federation. No further information was available.
Motorsport's governing body, the 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."
Thousands of protesters poured into the country's main square on Tuesday in an Egypt-style rebellion that sharply escalated pressure on authorities. Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa made a rare national TV address, offering condolences for the deaths, pledging an investigation into the killings and promising to push ahead with reforms.
Riot police with tear gas and clubs broke up a camp early on Thursday that anti-government protesters had set up on the square, killing four people, according to medical officials. Armed patrols prowled neighborhoods throughout the day and tanks appeared in the streets for the first time. Public gatherings were banned Thursday and the city was virtually locked down.
Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, chief executive officer of the Bahrain International Circuit, has said security remains of paramount concern and that it was also monitoring the situation.

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