Teams harden stance against Bahrain GP

Formal announcement to be made during the weekend.

MONTREAL:

Formula One teams, drivers and paddock insiders hardened their positions against the prospect of a reinstated Bahrain Grand Prix by making it clear that they have no intention of racing in the Gulf state this year.

Twenty-four hours after Formula One commercial ring-master Bernie Ecclestone completed a u-turn by telling the BBC in London that a race in Bahrain this year “was unlikely” team chiefs backed him up saying it was out of the question.

Ecclestone had said that the race could not be reinstated without written agreement from the teams, who in turn needed their drivers’ support to go to the troubled kingdom where violent civil unrest led to the original scheduled season-opening race being postponed in March.

It was reinstated controversially for October 30 by a meeting of the International Motoring Federation (FIA)’s world council last Friday.

But former driver Martin Brundle said, “I think it’s a grave error to reintroduce the race for a number of reasons.

“They really should have kept it off this year’s calendar. A lot of people would be happy to accept it on the calendar for 2012 provided they have sorted out the problems there.”

A final announcement confirming the cancellation of the Bahrain Grand Prix is expected from the FIA this weekend during the Canadian Grand Prix.

Hamilton hoping to end Vettel run

Meanwhile, two weeks on from his controversial exit at the Monaco Grand Prix, McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton returns to the circuit where he claimed his first pole position and won his first race in Canada.

This season, despite a massive 58-points deficit behind defending champion Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull, Hamilton hopes he can still mount a title bid.

“I think our car should be well suited to this track; we have a great engine, the best KERS [Kinetic Energy Regeneration System] in the sport and excellent traction out of slow corners,” he said.

“For me, it’s set to be another good weekend for us. I’ll be looking for a strong result.”



Published in The Express Tribune, June 10th, 2011.