Bahrain Grand Prix Decision Expected Tuesday

Topics:  Bahrain Grand Prix, Formula One

VOA Breaking News
Voice of America
February 20, 2011 at 8:10 pm

Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone has announced that Bahrain's Crown Prince will decide whether the season-opening Grand Prix race will be held as scheduled on March 13 in Bahrain.

Ecclestone said Sunday that Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al Khalifa is expected to decide Tuesday whether the race can held in Bahrain, after nearly a week of demonstrations in the strategic Arab nation.

The event has been has been placed in doubt over the last week as thousands of pro-democracy activists held demonstrations in the capital, Manama.

The 12 teams are due to begin testing in Bahrain on March 3. If the race cannot be held as scheduled, Ecclestone says it might be postponed until later in the season. However, he says it is too late to move the March 13 race to another location on such short notice.