Bahrain Grand Prix set to be canceled

Formula 1′s governing body kept a close eye on the situation in Bahrain on Friday, as things were starting to take a turn for the worst. All signs hint towards the cancellation of the Grand Prix, as the civil unrest continues to plague the country. 

Protests continue against the grand prix in Bahrain

On a day when protestors clashed with police while more than 5,000 people demonstrated in the north of the capital Manama to demand the release of a jailed activist on hunger strike, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) made clear that it was aware of the latest events.

“The FIA is constantly monitoring and evaluating the situation in the Kingdom of Bahrain,” said a spokesman for the Paris-based body.

“We are in daily touch with the highest authorities, the main European embassies and of course the local promoters at BIC (Bahrain International Circuit) as well as the international promoter.

“The FIA is the guarantor of the safety at the race event and relies, as it does in every other country, on the local authorities to guarantee security,” added the FIA.

“In this respect we have been repeatedly assured by the highest authorities in Bahrain that all security matters are under control.”

Last year’s race in Bahrain was postponed, reinstated and then cancelled due to a February uprising and bloody crackdown. The kingdom has been in turmoil for more than a year with regular opposition party marches and rallies and clashes between riot police and youths in Shi’ite districts involving tear gas and petrol bombs.

Bahrain, the first Middle Eastern country to host a Formula One race, has a strong presence in the sport. Sheikh Abdulla bin Isa al-Khalifa sits on the FIA’s decision-making motor sport council while Bahrain also owns 50 percent of McLaren.