Bahrain reinstated but heavy protest against decision, India GP to be Season Finale

Click to find out more

FIA’s World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) has announced the reinstating of Bahrain Grand Prix in the 2011 calendar in Barcelona here on Friday, June 03.

Bahrain welcomed FIA decision to proceed with race, despite continuing security crackdown on protests in country.

A fact finding mission was undertaken by FIA President Jean Todt, FIA Vice President Carlos Gracia to assess the situation in Bahrain on May 31.

“Meetings were conducted with the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Bahrain Motor Federation and Bahrain International Circuit, as well as other national and international organisations including Mr. Tariq Al Saffar at the National Institute of Human Rights.

After all the assessment, it is finally decided to reinstate the Bahrain Grand Prix. The race will be staged on Oct. 30, replacing a scheduled stop in India, FIA said in a statement.

The Indian race will be delayed until an as-yet unspecified date but it is confirmed that it will be the final round of this year’s championship combined with the FIA Annual General Assembly and Prize-Giving Gala.

The Bahrain race had originally been due to take place on March 13, but was postponed due to civil unrest in the island state. A decision on whether to reinstate it had been expected at the start of May, but the FIA extended the deadline at the request of Bahraini authorities.

The decision of reinstating Bahrain Grand Prix has made it a 20 race season with the record of most race in any F1 season, last year being 19 race season.



Indian Grand Prix Delayed and will become the Season Finale

The inclusion of Bahrain Grand Prix and staging the race on October 30 means that the inaugural Indian Grand Prix at Buddh International Circuit has to be delayed and rescheduled in the month of December. Earlier there were talks of making it on December 4 but it would be back to back races from Brazil to India and would be very difficult to cover 10000kms within 3days time. Most probably the race will be hosted on Dec 11 making it a triple delight as Season Finale, FIA Annual General Assemble and Prize-Giving Gala.



Bahrain under heavy protest after decision of conduction Bahrain Grand Prix

Formula One’s ruling body was criticized by human-rights groups after rescheduling a race in Bahrain amid anti-government protests.

The race had been slated to open the season on March 13. Bahraini Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa suspended it on Feb. 21, three days after five people were killed as police broke up demonstrations by activists seeking democratic changes. At least 30 people have died since the protests began, the Associated Press reported.

“On the one hand, Formula One isn’t respecting human rights, but on the other, it’s a good chance for the people to express how they feel on television worldwide,” Mohamed Al- Maskati, head of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, said from Manama, the capital.

“It seems like a highly questionable decision by Formula One,” Joe Stork, the deputy director of the region for New York-based Human Rights Watch, said in a telephone interview.

Meanwhile, a petition gathering more than 320,000 signatures calling on Red Bull and other Formula One teams not to take part in the Bahrain Grand Prix has gone up on the advocacy website Avaaz.

Alex Wilks, Avaaz's campaign director, slammed the decision by international motorsport's governing body to go ahead with the race.

"Formula 1's decision is a kick in the teeth for the Bahraini people. The race will happen in a country where government troops continue to shoot and arrest peaceful protesters. Money has trumped human rights and good judgement, so now F1, plus Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari, and every other team will be directly linked with a bloody crackdown that's ruined the lives of hundreds of innocent people," he said in a statement released shortly after the decision was announced.