Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone says no Bahrain Grand Prix in hot August – Formula 1 news
Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has said that re-scheduling the Bahrain Grand Prix in the middle of summer is out of question.
He further explained that Bahrain Grand Prix will be scheduled if there is peace in Bahrain and that it will be adjusted in late November 2011.
Bahrain GP was cancelled last week when political unrest forced the Crown Prince, HRH Salman, to call off the Grand Prix. It was assumed that Bahrain will be adjusted either in August or at the end of the season, just ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix. However,
now the idea of organising a desert race in hot August has been ruled out by Ecclestone.
Ecclestone was talking to media and said, “August -- forget. Too hot. Too hot for the public to sit in the grandstand, it's 40-odd degrees. We'll have a look and see what we can do, how we can swap things round a bit. Maybe we can change with Brazil or something
like that.”
He further said that the final decision will be taken next week on Tuesday in a meeting of the International Automobile Federation (FIA)’s World Motor Sport Council in Paris. He said that the Bahrain people are too anxious to get a Grand Prix there and the
Formula 1 world will also be happy to go there, but it all depends on the peace conditions. Although many have spoken that squeezing Bahrain Grand Prix in November will mean three back-to-back races at the end of the season which will be a hard task for teams,
but Ecclestone seems committed to re-schedule Bahrain.
After the cancellation of Bahrain Grand Prix, its fee, which every venue’s officials have to submit to Formula 1, was returned by Ecclestone as a gesture of respect for the suffering nation. According to the rules of Formula 1, Bahrain will have to re-apply
for the Grand Prix and will have to submit a fee of almost £25m.
Ecclestone further expressed his feelings about the innovations this season and said about the movable rear wing that it does not make anything interesting but difficult for the drivers and spectators.
He said, “I don't support it at all, there will be more and more protests and upheaval because of that, in my opinion.”
Also he said that Formula 1 has one too many teams and there should be only 10 teams instead of 12.
This was the first time in the history of the Formula 1 that 20 grands prix were scheduled but the early cancellation of Bahrain GP threatened this record. If Bahrain is somehow adjusted in the fourth week of November, then this season will be the longest
season in terms of number of races.
The 2011 season opener, for now, remains the Australian Grand Prix and the last pre-season test is scheduled at Barcelona from March 8 – 12.
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