Bernie Ecclestone and the FIA remain keen for the Bahrain Grand Prix to go ahead despite further violence and calls for it to be cancelled.
This week marks the anniversary of the 2011 uprising against the government and, as predicted, fresh violence in the capital city of Manama came as a result as youths threw petrol bombs at the police, who then retaliated with tear gas and rubber bullets.
Despite this, 81-year-old Ecclestone is happy for the race to go ahead on April 22nd, just over two months away, as he believes the violence will have come to an end by then.
“The only message I got was that there were some kids in trouble with the police,” he told the Telegraph on Tuesday.
“We are planning to go. I’ve always said that if there was going to be any drama it would be on the Day of Rage. They would have to do something then. People there seem confident that a race two months away will be alright.”
Ecclestone is confident that the teams back his decision for the race to remain on the 20-event calendar.
“The teams are not the slightest bit concerned. They seem happy that things will go ahead without problems. Last year was a more clear-cut decision not to go but things have changed a lot since then.”
An FIA spokesperson also confirmed the governing body’s thoughts, which are much the same as Ecclestone’s.
“The FIA, like many in the diplomatic community in the kingdom, the main political opposition, as well as the UK-Bahrain All-Party Parliamentary Group writing in the Times, believes the staging of a Grand Prix would be beneficial in bridging some of the difficulties Bahrain is experiencing,” they told the Guardian newspaper.
“The FIA is not in a position to influence political matters in a sovereign country such as Bahrain and we can only wish for a long-term peaceful solution. A number of reforms have been enacted, others are going through legislation. We warmly welcome this, as does the motorsport community which we represent.”
