MOTORSPORT: Bahrain GP off – Australia now F1 opener

Melbourne will host the first F1 grand prix of the year after Bahrain's troubles caused the cancellation of its GP, while the likely new NSW coalition government's dislike for the Sydney 500 has become clear

Doubts cast on Sydney 500's future too

It's official now that the Bahrain Grand Prix scheduled for March 13 is off due the country's civil unrest and that the Australian GP in Melbourne two weeks later will be the opener to this year's Formula One world championship.

At the same time the prospect of the Sydney 500 V8 Supercar race being scrapped under the likely new conservative coalition government has come into sharp focus – although it's unlikely to happen immediately.

Bahrain, an island state in the Persian Gulf, cancelled its GP after a week of protests against its government in which seven people have died and hundreds of others been injured.

"The Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) today announced that the Kingdom of Bahrain would withdraw from hosting this year's F1 Grand Prix race so that the country can focus on its process of national dialogue," a statement by Bahrain circuit authorities said.

BIC chairman Zayed Alzayani said. "I hope that F1 and our friends around the world will understand our decision at this difficult time."

Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa, also the deputy supreme commander of Bahrain's armed forces, said: "At the present time the country's entire attention is focused on building a new national dialogue for Bahrain.

"Although (F1 supremo) Bernie Ecclestone had graciously made clear that a decision on the race was entirely Bahrain's to make and was not yet required, we felt it was important for the country to focus on immediate issues of national interest and leave the hosting of Bahrain's Formula One race to a later date."

Ecclestone said: "It is sad that Bahrain has had to withdraw from the race.

"We wish the whole nation well as they begin to heal their country.

"We look forward to being back in Bahrain soon."

Reuters reported that situation in the capital, Manama, was still tense last night, with thousands of protesters camped out in its Pearl Square.

This year's F1 championship was to have been the first with 20 races, but it may now be left with 19 – although Ecclestone has repeatedly said Bahrain may be rescheduled.

There is some speculation that, depending on the situation in the Middle East country, it could be slotted back in late in the season.

The final GP is due to be at Interlagos in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on November 27 – two weeks after the penultimate round at Abu Dhabi.

The F1 community has welcomed the decision not to try to stage the Bahrain race at the Sakhir circuit in little more than three weeks.

"I think the right decision was made, in light of what is going on, so we look forward to Melbourne instead," Australia's F1 driver Mark Webber said at the end of a four-day pre-season test in Barcelona, Spain.

"It would have been nice to go to Bahrain, but hopefully it can stage the race again.

"As for starting in Melbourne, it's my home race and, as always, I'm looking forward to it. It is a sensational event, we're in good shape as a team, so I hope to go there and get a very good result."

The fourth and final F1 pre-season test was due to be held in Bahrain in the first week of March but that too has been cancelled.

Teams instead will return to Barcelona on March 8-11 before the cars are loaded for transport to Melbourne.

Meanwhile, the Liberal candidate for the Sydney electorate of Auburn, which includes the Homebush Olympic precinct that has hosted the Sydney 500 V8 Supercar event the past two years, has indicated that street race won't continue beyond the existing contract under the likely new conservative government in NSW.

"Unfortunately, NSW Labor has signed NSW taxpayers up to this rotten deal until the end of 2013," Sydney's Daily Telegraph newspaper quotes candidate Ned Attie saying.

"Re-location before 2013 is at the discretion of V8 Supercars Australia.

"If we're successful in coming to office, a NSW Liberals and Nationals government would better manage any future negotiations with V8SA (and major events in general)."

The paper said Attie indicated a conservative government would axe funding for the Sydney race.

"We continue to support motor racing in NSW and will advocate for any major events that will help boost the NSW economy, but not at the expense of NSW taxpayers and local residents," he said.

"We're in favour of the relocation of the (Homebush) event and will work with V8SA and Eastern Creek Raceway to achieve the final outcome."

A councillor at Auburn, Attie reportedly praised "the great work done by the Save Olympic Park No V8s Committee in drawing attention to the problems with the Labor government's contract with V8SA".

The Daily Telegraph quoted what it called a V8 Supercar "insider" saying of Attie's stance: "The only reason we came back to NSW was to do the event at Homebush, otherwise we wouldn't be here.

"It's almost ludicrous. It's not even remotely on. That would be a massive backward step for Sydney and for NSW and for us."

The paper referred to "a record 150,000" at the second Sydney 500, even though that figure was below the attendance claimed for the first event in 2009.

And the Labor government's Tourism Minister, Jodi McKay, was quoted saying the event "is beamed live to more than 110 countries" – of which there is absolutely no evidence.

And, as was pointed out here last month, the Australian TV ratings for the Sydney 500 have not been as good as for the last V8 Supercar round staged at Eastern Creek in 2008.

The Daily Telegraph highlighted that Barry O'Farrell, the Liberal leader set to become NSW's new premier, said before the first Sydney 500 "it makes no sense to have this race at Homebush" and that he refused to commit to funding to it from any government he headed and has not mentioned it in his party's major events policy.

In an editorial today the Daily Telegraph said: "By taking a set against the annual V8 Supercar event at Homebush, Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell is pitting out of sequence.

"The majority of the state and the city of Sydney have embraced this grand race and all the celebrations it brings.

"In the Liberals case, this is a gamble they need not take.

"V8 Supercar racing is an investment in this state - an investment, based on the financial performance of the Australia-wide racing series, that is almost certain to pay off.

"Get a move on, Barry. The first thing you need to do is announce complete support for the V8 Supercar race at Homebush."

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MOTORSPORT: Bahrain GP off – Australia now F1 opener

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