07/02/2012
NEWS STORY
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As in 2011, the teams appear uneasy when asked about racing in Bahrain, preferring the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone to make any decisions.
Just days after the Gulf Daily News reported that a "European man" was attacked by "yobs carrying swords" and consequently lost two fingers, the mood in the Jerez paddock is that F1 should still return to the island state this year, providing the sport's powers give the event the green light.
Last year, the sport was held up to ridicule as it dithered over whether the Bahrain event should go ahead or not. Eventually, despite several false starts, including rescheduling the event at the end of the season, it was the Bahraini authorities who pulled the plug.
Since then, as events in Bahrain disappear from the front pages of the newspapers, Bernie Ecclestone has insisted - as he did in 2011 - that all is well, his views backed up by the likes of Damon Hill and Jackie Stewart, fresh from his support campaign on behalf of disgraced banker Mr Fred Goodwin
As testing gets underway in Jerez, and with the 2012 Bahrain Grand Prix just ten weeks away, a number of key players seem happy to race in the island state.
"We have commitments with regard to the Formula One championship, so it is not an easy decision to take," said Lotus team boss, Eric Boullier. "Right now we are awaiting feedback from the FIA on whether or not we go."
"What I've been hearing is that a number of guarantees have been given in terms of how everything will happen and so on," added Lotus chairman Gerard Lopez. "So if things look good then there is no reason why we shouldn't go to Bahrain."
"Like everyone, including the FIA and the commercial rights holder, we are concerned about the situation," admitted Sauber CEO Monisha Kaltenborn. "We, as the Sauber F1 team, are not in a position to judge that very well, so we have to trust in the FIA and the commercial rights holder who have the call on this. If they think it is the right thing to go then we will definitely go there."
Meanwhile, according to the Gulf Daily News, "a group of policemen are set to go on trial accused of causing the death of three protesters during the height of the unrest."