As Formula One appears to lose all credibility, one has to ask what on earth is going on.

In the last few days the sport has suffered more public humiliation than all the numerous scandals of recent years put together.

Forget Austria 2002, forget the News of the World's exposure of Max Mosley's private life, forget Spygate, Liegate, Crashgate and every other sordid little saga, Formula One is in real danger of disappearing up its own backside.

The FIA sends a fact finding mission to Bahrain that appears to have been hoodwinked in pretty much the same way as journalists were sold the story of Hanin, the one-year-old 'air raid victim' in Libya at the weekend.

Even before the FIA had announced its widely ridiculed decision to reinstate the race, Fawaz Al Khalifa, the president of Bahrain's information affairs authority, was tweeting the news and the new date.

One minute Bernie Ecclestone tells us that it is safe to return, next he's not so sure, urging the teams to demand another vote.

Then, as Jean Todt insists that the vote to return to Bahrain was unanimous, a claim disputed by some who were present, former FIA president Max Mosley claims that any change to the calendar needs the written agreement of all the teams.

Now, we have the teams' alliance (FOTA) urging the FIA to return India to its original October 30 slot.

Consequently, ignoring the ethics of taking F1 back to Bahrain, which is pretty much what some within this sport appear to be doing, one has to ask what sort of business can be so poorly managed that nobody appears to know what is happening or when.

While the powers that be can change their arrangements on a whim, there are many thousands of people out there who would like to know when exactly the Indian Grand Prix is going to take place.

This is rapidly turning into a farce of epic proportions, a cock up that will do irreparable damage to the sport and those associated with it. Someone needs to get a grip.

Chris Balfe
editor@pitpass.com
Editor