Bahrain could thwart Qatar race plans

Plans to stage a race in Qatar next year are under threat after it emerged Bernie Ecclestone needs the permission of Bahrain.

Bahrain became the first Middle Eastern country to hold a Formula 1 race in 2004, and Ecclestone needs their consent to arrange races with other local countries.

This puts a race in Qatar in the hands of Bahrain, who did consent to race in Abu Dhabi in 2009, but they are not keen on allowing Qatar entry.

Ecclestone told reporters: “When I did the deal to have a race in Bahrain I shook hands with them- promising not to have another race in the area unless they agreed to it.

Bahrain circuit

“Then Abu Dhabi came along and said they wanted a race. I said I couldn’t help them unless Bahrain agreed to let them join the calendar. If they agreed , fine. They did agree.

“Now Bahrain needs to agree to a race in Qatar. If that can be sorted, fine. If not, we can’t do anything about it.”

Qatar hope to run the race for the first time next year, and if that can’t be arranged they will wait for 2017.

However, Bahrain is not keen on the idea: “My personal opinion of having another race in the area-wherever it is- I don’t think we are ready for that”, said Bahrain race executive Sheikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa.

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