Bahrain GP is 'not on', says Ecclestone

This year's re-scheduled Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix cannot go ahead because of the situation in the country and opposition from teams, commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone said.

“Hopefully there’ll be peace and quiet and we can return in the future, but of course it’s not on,” the 80-year-old told the BBC.

“The schedule cannot be rescheduled without the agreement of the participants... they’re the facts.”

There was no immediate comment from the governing International Automobile Federation (FIA), while many team staff were travelling to Canada for Sunday’s race in Montreal.

The teams have already made clear that they do not want to go to Bahrain on Oct. 30 or extend the season into December for logistical reasons.

The race in the Gulf kingdom was originally scheduled as a March season-opener but had to be postponed due to bloody civil unrest and a crackdown on anti-government protesters.

The FIA said on Friday that Bahrain would be reinstated for Oct. 30, a date originally assigned to India’s inaugural race which would be shifted to a December date as the last race of the season.

INTOLERABLE BURDEN

The teams have said they do not want to be racing in December, since that would put an intolerable burden on their staff, and are in a strong position to prevent that from happening.

“Until the written agreement of the teams is forthcoming, you can’t actually change the date. It can’t be done,” former FIA president Max Mosley had said on Tuesday, pointing out a detail in the statutes that his successor Jean Todt appeared to have overlooked.

The teams’ body FOTA, which represents all those on the starting grid except tail-enders Hispania, said on Tuesday they had written to all parties concerned.

“The teams have discussed the 2011 calendar within FOTA and have expressed their considered views privately in a letter to the FIA, FOM (Ecclestone) and BIC (Bahrain Circuit),” said a FOTA spokesperson.

“It would be inappropriate therefore to comment further at this stage.”

A team source who declined to be identified told Reuters that the teams wanted India restored to its Oct. 30 date and were against rescheduling Bahrain.

Others described the letter as “polite but firm” and made clear the teams did not want to go to Bahrain.

The decision to move India to a December date was also opposed because teams have already booked flights while sponsors have arranged high-profile events around the October race in New Delhi.

Several fans told Reuters via Twitter that they would be out of pocket if the change went ahead because they had booked non-refundable flights to India for the original date.

• Bahrain
• UAE