Bahrain test threatposted in F118 | 02 | 2011
FORMULA ONE team bosses are poised to cancel next month's final pre-season testing in Bahrain as the island state continues to be hit by violence and political unrest. Instead the team's could return to Barcelona.
The sporting rules committee of the Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) are meeting this evening in Barcelona as the teams undertake their third pre-season test of the year at the Circuit de Catalunya.
While F1 guru Bernie Ecclestone has stated he will make a decision next week as to whether the season opener — scheduled for Bahrain on March 11-13 — will go ahead, team bosses met in Barcelona today to discuss the test which is planned for the previous week. This weekend's GP2 Series Asia race in Bahrain has already been cancelled.
Despite reassurances from Bahrain Grand Prix officials that they remain focused on delivering a successful Formula 1 season opener next month, the escalation of the trouble in the capital capital Manama has raised serious concerns.
While the race is obviously further away, the four-day test is due to take place at the Bahrain International Circuit on March 3-6; drivers, including Scot Paul di Resta (pictured), are scheduled to fly out to Bahrain on Monday, February 28.
Of greater concern though to the teams is the massive logistic headache they face. If the test is to go ahead, teams will need to freight to Bahrain within the next week. The decision to cancel the Bahrain test would not be a difficult one to make; the problem though would be rescheduling it for another venue.
Should — as if becoming more likely as the troubles and killings in Bahrain show no immediate signs of easing — the Bahrain Grand Prix be cancelled, it's also unlikely a new venue could be put in place for March 13, simply because of the ongoing freight issues.
"Our sea freight, like every other team's, left for Bahrain a month ago," Virgin Racing team principal John Booth said, "and a lot of the equipment in the sea freight is vital to the running of the cars. So to run it somewhere else would be very difficult."
If Bahrain is removed from the calendar, the 2011 F1 season would get underway with the Australia Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 27.
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Jim McGill