Bahrain F1 Grand Prix 2012 - will it go ahead?

With the Chinese F1 Grand Prix going ahead this weekend (12-14th April) the subject everyone in the Formula One circuit is talking about is "will the Bahrain Grand Prix go ahead?". 

With the first Bahrain Grand Prix taking place in 2004 even taking the Best Organised Grand Prix by FIA the cracks first started to appear when the 2011 Bahrain Grand Prix was cancelled due social unrest within the country. The race was not rescheduled for later on in the season. The same thorny issues of social unrest and civil protests still exists which leaves the 2012 hanging in the balance. 

Bernie Ecclestone, CEO of Formula Management / Administration, is adamant that the teams will be there and there is no security risk to the competitors. He will be meeting all the racing teams principals in Shanghai although officially the issue of Bahrain will not be on the agenda.

While Bahrain gets over 2 million visitors annually, the majority of those coming from other regional Arab countries, there is an increasing number from outside of the region. With the country having duty free on arrival shops the country can ill afford to have negative publicity which will affect the increasing important tourism industry replacing the depleting oil industry.


Only time will tell.....