Bahrain GP will Go on as Scheduled

The FIA has broken its silence and pre-empted any discussion between the teams and Bernie Ecclestone by stating that the Bahrain GP will go ahead as planned.

FIA president Jean Todt is due to arrive in Bahrain on Saturday.

The governing body has issued the following statement, reproduced in full:

"The FIA is the governing body of motor sport and therefore of Formula One. As such, it sets the season’s calendars following the proposal of the Commercial Rights Holder (CRH) in accordance with the local national authorities in all matters relating to safety.

Within that context, the FIA ensures that any event forming part of an FIA World Championship is organised in compliance with the FIA Statutes and the relevant Sporting and Technical Regulations, and that the safety of the public, officials, drivers and teams is secured at all times during an event.

The FIA must make rational decisions based on the information provided to us by the Bahraini authorities and by the Commercial Rights Holder. In addition we have endeavoured to assess the ongoing situation in Bahrain.

President Jean Todt led a fact-finding mission to the Kingdom in November 2011, meeting a large number of decision-makers and opinion formers, including elected Shia members of parliament, the president of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry, ambassadors from the European Union countries, the Crown Prince, the Interior Minister and many members of the business community.

All expressed their wish for the Grand Prix to go ahead in 2012, and since then, the FIA has kept in close touch with all these stakeholders. Away from the public eye, the FIA has received regular security briefings from the most senior diplomatic officials based in the Kingdom as well as from other independent experts.

The 2012 calendar, as presented by the CRH, was ratified by the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) in September 2011. Since then no request from the F1 Commission or the CRH has been made to the WMSC to either postpone or cancel the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Based on the current information the FIA has at this stage, it is satisfied that all the proper security measures are in place for the running of a Formula One World Championship event in Bahrain.

Therefore, the FIA confirms that the 2012 Gulf Air F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain will go ahead as scheduled."

I'd give my predictions on the event, but with circumstances as they are, I honestly have no idea what will happen.

I have a bad feeling something is going to happen. I really hope not, but I just got a bad gut feeling

I honestly think FIA shouldn't force the issue with hosting a race in an area that has a lot of civil unrest, especially if it has to do with the F1 race. It's too risky to do so IMO.

in b4 teams pull out of the event.

Good win HRT.

i dont think we will have 2005 usgp all over again.

I think the FIA has made a bad decision to make the race go ahead and run as planned. Something is bound to go wrong when the Series arrives in Bahrain. What If attacks and lots of terrorism is still going on in that country? I hope not, because Formula 1 is gonna face one of its most difficult race weekends to get through.

I hope the GP goes on as planned, Bahrain is a nice place if you keep your head up and know what you're doing.