10/06/2011
NEWS STORY
The FIA has revealed that despite having said that the Bahrain Grand Prix was not on, Bernie Ecclestone made a last minute bid to try and save the event.
In its chronology of decisions related to the event, on Thursday (June 9) Ecclestone proposed that Bahrain be rescheduled for December 4, with the GP of India reinstated on its original date of 30 October.
The FIA replied on the same day, asking Ecclestone to provide guarantees that any new date proposal would be acceptable both to the teams and to the organisers in Bahrain. However, the organizers in Bahrain subsequently accepted that the 2011 event had to be cancelled due to logistical reasons.
Ecclestone then proposed that the original calendar be reverted to - meaning that the Indian Grand Prix returned to its original October 30 slot - at which time the FIA called on the World Motor Sport Council members to fax vote their acceptance of the move.
The revelation that Ecclestone made the late bid is yet another twist in what has been a hugely embarrassing week for the sport, and backs up the widely held view that the F1 supremo and the sport's governing body are spoiling for a fight.
While the FIA has egg on its face in terms of its fact finding mission and Jean Todt's defence of last week's decision to reinstate the race, Ecclestone's numerous about turns are equally embarrassing.