The Bahrain Grand Prix has been called into question for a second year in a row after the teams admitted they were still uncomfortable with the idea of returning, if the political situation doesn’t improve in the near-future.
Whilst the situation isn’t as bad as it was in early 2011, protests are still a regular occurrence. Most recently, protesters clashed with government forces on Friday night following the death of a teenager who had been involved in a protest the previous day.
In Japan, Christian Horner said the news coming out of Bahrain was still a worry, but he is confident the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone will make the right decision, despite failing to do so this year when the race was reinstated, then cancelled again a few days later.
“Obviously it’s worrying when you hear the type of news that’s come out of Bahrain,” said the Red Bull team principal.
“But I think that Bernie [Ecclestone] more than anybody probably is acutely aware of the situation there and when the time is right for difficult decisions that have to be made he’s demonstrated that he’s not afraid of making them.”
He also said the race would ‘inevitably’ be discussed at the upcoming FIA World Council meeting in November.
“They’ve got meetings coming up at World Council level and so on were, inevitably, these things will be discussed.”
The 2012 Baharin GP is scheduled to take place on April 22nd.
If the race is cancelled, Istanbul Park in Turkey, which recently lost its place on the calendar, has been earmarked as a replacement. The track is owned by Bernie Ecclestone.
