Ljs: Relief for Formula One as Bahrain prince cancels opening grand prix

? Political situation prompts cancellation
? Bernie Ecclestone to look at rescheduling

The often raucously divided world of Formula One offered up a quiet sigh of collective relief at the news that the Bahrain grand prix had been cancelled, even though that could result in the season dragging into December.

After the announcement that the first race of the season, on 13 March, was off, and that the programme would start in Melbourne on 27 March, the mood was summed up by Christian Horner, the team principal at Red Bull, last season's double world championship winners.

Horner said: "Collectively I think that they have reached the right decision. It's a great shame to lose Bahrain. It's a great track with great facilities. But I'm sure we will be back there soon. It was a difficult decision but ultimately the right one.

"It wasn't for the teams to make it. It was for the governing body [the FIA], the promoter [Bahrain] and Bernie [Ecclestone, the commercial rights holder]. Both Bernie and the circuit kept us informed and ultimately they have made the right and sensible decision."

Bahrain's Crown Prince, Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa on Monday informed Ecclestone of his decision. It follows the anti-government demonstrations and ongoing unrest in the country, which led to six deaths last week and over the weekend.

"After the events of the past week our nation's priority is on overcoming tragedy, healing divisions and rediscovering the fabric that draws this country together, reminding the world of the very best that Bahrain is capable of as a nation once again united," the Crown Prince said.

"Although Bernie Ecclestone had graciously made clear that a decision on the race was entirely Bahrain's to make and was not yet required, we felt it was important for the country to focus on immediate issues of national interest and leave the hosting of Bahrain's Formula One race to a later date."

Ecclestone said: "It is sad that Bahrain has had to withdraw from the race. We wish the whole nation well as they begin to heal their country. The hospitality and warmth of the people of Bahrain is a hallmark of the race there, as anyone who has been at a Bahrain grand prix will testify. We look forward to being back in Bahrain soon."

There is a chance that the Bahrain race, which has been held since 2004, could take place in November, following the scheduled penultimate event in Abu Dhabi on 13 November. But that would mean three races in three weekends. So Brazil, which has been promised the last race of the season on 27 November, could be asked to move the date to 4 December, the latest finish since 1963. If the race were held during the mid-season break in August conditions would be insufferably hot.

The final testing for this season, which had been scheduled for Bahrain on 3 March, will take place in Barcelona on 8-11 March.

Horner's support for the decision was backed up by one of his drivers, the Australian Mark Webber, who said: "They know what is going on out there and they have made their call, so let's go to Melbourne. Back to the good old days. It would have been nice to go to Bahrain but we have to wait a bit longer to have our first race and that just happens to be my home race. I always look forward to going down there. It's a sensational event."

But Webber offered something more substantial than jingoism. Earlier, during testing in Barcelona, he had been the only driver to voice his opposition to the race. "When you hear of people losing their lives, this is a tragedy," he said. "It's probably not the best time to go there for a sporting event. They have bigger things, bigger priorities."

Eric Boullier, the Renault team principal, also said he fully supported the decision. "The recent situation in Bahrain has been very difficult for the country. We feel the decision taken by the Crown Prince is wise and we fully support it." Even though the situation in Bahrain had quietened down, the race clearly had the potential to become the focal point of more protests. "The race has been the prince's dream since he was a child," Hasan Dhani, a 23-year-old protester, said before the cancellation. "He wants to negotiate so he can fulfil this dream and it makes me sad that his dream is more dear to him than the needs of his people. There is a big connection between [the uprising] and Formula One."

For Formula One purists the season will have the launch it deserves. The Melbourne race, one of the highlights of the calendar, was the traditional pipe-opener before Bahrain muscled in, paying �25m to stage the event and another �12m to be the first race in the schedule.

But not all Australians welcome the attention. Michael Danby, whose Melbourne Ports electorate includes the Albert Park circuit, says locals are tired of the event and that the rising costs are not justified. "The grand prix may have been a good deal in 1996, when it cost the government only A$1.7m; but, with falling crowd numbers and taxpayers footing a A$50m-a-year bill, the government should cut its losses and walk away," he told parliament. Last month, Melbourne's lord mayor Robert Doyle also called for the event not to continue at the end of its current deal, in 2015.

Paul Weaver

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