The Bahrain Grand Prix rescheduled for the end of the 2011 season?
Having been canceled due to the turmoil currently affecting the Arab world, the Bahrain Grand Prix could potentially be rescheduled for the end of the season, at a date close to the race taking place in Abu Dhabi in November.
We know that the Sakhir circuit negotiated an exclusivity agreement concerning the Middle East region in 2004, during the first visit of the F1 circus to Bahrain. This agreement was renegotiated with the arrival of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2009 in this same region of the world. Finally, one of the clauses of this agreement apparently conferred the status of the opening round to Bahrain. The two races opened and closed the season to maximize coverage for each of them.
Mohammed ben Sulayem, the president of the United Arab Emirates Automobile Club, told the local newspaper “National” that Abu Dhabi would cooperate if necessary. “We are the organizers of the Abu Dhabi race and we respect the FIA’s decision. Originally, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain had agreed to have a significant gap in the calendar. However, there is an urgency and in an emergency, we need to work together. The most important point is that Bahrain keeps its place on the calendar and I think they have secured that. Stability is the most important factor, but as soon as they are back, we will do our utmost to restore the race, as we know they would have done the same for us“.
On the other hand, Ecclestone and the FOM gifted the organizers of the Bahrain Grand Prix the tidy sum of 40 million dollars. A shortfall that the F1’s big financier and CVC will be quick to erase as soon as possible, by bringing the race back, for example.
Today, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is scheduled for November 13th, not far from the Brazilian Grand Prix which will close the season on November 27th. Placing the Bahrain Grand Prix on November 6th would pose quite a significant challenge to the logistical departments of the teams given that the race would come just one week after the inaugural Indian Grand Prix. Similarly, November 20th would create a series of three consecutive Grand Prix weekends at the end of the season… The FIA World Council is expected to discuss the situation in the Kingdom of Bahrain next week.
