2011 Bahrain Grand Prix
| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Date | Planned for 13 March 2011 | ||
| Official name | 2011 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix | ||
| Location |
Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain |
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| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
| Course length | 5.412 km (3.37 mi) | ||
| Distance | 57 laps, 308.238 km (191.530 mi) | ||
The 2011 Bahrain Grand Prix (formally the 2011 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix) was scheduled to be the opening round of the 2011 Formula One season. Planned to be held on 13 March 2011 at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain, it was postponed on 21 February 2011 due to the Bahraini uprising. On 3 June, it was announced that the race would be held on 30 October, thus making it round 17 of the 20 to be held during 2011. Following controversy over the reinstatement of the race, organisers of the Grand Prix abandoned their bid to host a race in 2011.
On 14 February 2011, civil unrest broke out in Bahrain as part of a series of protests across North Africa and the Middle East. As a result of the unrest, medical staff due to attend the practice session in the Bahrain GP2 Asia Series race were redeployed to hospitals in Manama, forcing the cancellation of the Thursday practice session. Later that day, it was announced that the whole weekend would be cancelled at the request of the local motoring federation.
Chief executive of the Bahrain International Circuit Prince Salman ibn Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa, who is also the crown prince of Bahrain stated that everything possible would be done to ensure that the race went ahead. Bernie Ecclestone, CEO of Formula One Management and Formula One Administration, stated that he hoped that talks with Al Khalifa would ease his fears that the event might be cancelled. Vice President of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, Nabeel Rajab said that it would be hard to bring a quick end to the protests. Ecclestone stated that a decision on the race would be made by 23 February, saying that if the situation had not calmed down by then, the event would probably be cancelled. However, protesters were quoted stating that "the only reason" the Crown Prince was willing to talk with the protestors was for the sake of holding the race.
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