Bahrain GP to take place on October 30

FIA confirms rescheduled race to take place in Manama.

PARIS:

The Bahrain Grand Prix, postponed from its season-opening date in March due to political turmoil in the Gulf state, will now take place on October 30.

The decision to hold the race in Manama end of October was taken by the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council at a meeting in Barcelona. The green light was given after a visit by  the FIA delegation to assess conditions in Bahrain this week.

Zayed Rashid Alzayani, the Bahrain International Circuit chairman, welcomed the move.

“As a country we’ve faced a difficult time, but stability has returned,” he said. “By the time the Grand Prix arrives we will be able to remind the world about Bahrain at its best.”

The original Bahrain GP at the circuit in Sakhir on March 13 was called off in February after pro-democracy protests left more than 20 people dead. The rescheduled race will take the place of the Indian Grand Prix, which has been moved to December.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 4^th, 2011.