NEW DELHI: If Bernie Ecclestone manages to have his way, the Indian Grand Prix, scheduled for October 30 as the second-last race of the 2011 season, might be moved to December 4, the Formula One season's finale.
Keen to let Bahrain Grand Prix back into the schedule after protests in the kingdom made racing action impossible earlier in the year, F1 boss Ecclestone, world body FIA and Bahrain officials are in discussions and according to Autosport, a motorsports website, Indian officials have been asked to look at a race date change to help accommodate the race at Sakhir.
Jay Pee Sports International, which is developing the 5.14 km-long Buddh International Race Circuit, has not been informed officially. "We've also just read online reports regarding this development.
"We haven't heard anything from the FIA till now. As far as JPSI is concerned our homologation is on August 1 and race is on Oct 30," said the spokesperson.
A decision on Sakhir race will be taken on June 3 but the big bosses want the end of season schedule reshuffle sorted out before that.
If the race at Sakhir happens, there would be a two-week gap before the Abu Dhabi GP on November 13, after which the young driver test would take place from November 15-17. Brazil would then keep its current November 27 date, with India hosting the race on December 4.
FIA president Jean Todt said at the Turkish Grand Prix two weeks ago that he was happy to give Bahrain more time.
"We completely sympathise with the problems that are happening, and we all understand that it would not have been possible to keep the Sakhir Grand Prix as the first race of the championship," he said.
"I think if you are in a difficult situation, you need support. That is our responsibility. We need to give some support and it will penalize nobody to have a final answer by June 3."
toi
Keen to let Bahrain Grand Prix back into the schedule after protests in the kingdom made racing action impossible earlier in the year, F1 boss Ecclestone, world body FIA and Bahrain officials are in discussions and according to Autosport, a motorsports website, Indian officials have been asked to look at a race date change to help accommodate the race at Sakhir.
Jay Pee Sports International, which is developing the 5.14 km-long Buddh International Race Circuit, has not been informed officially. "We've also just read online reports regarding this development.
"We haven't heard anything from the FIA till now. As far as JPSI is concerned our homologation is on August 1 and race is on Oct 30," said the spokesperson.
A decision on Sakhir race will be taken on June 3 but the big bosses want the end of season schedule reshuffle sorted out before that.
If the race at Sakhir happens, there would be a two-week gap before the Abu Dhabi GP on November 13, after which the young driver test would take place from November 15-17. Brazil would then keep its current November 27 date, with India hosting the race on December 4.
FIA president Jean Todt said at the Turkish Grand Prix two weeks ago that he was happy to give Bahrain more time.
"We completely sympathise with the problems that are happening, and we all understand that it would not have been possible to keep the Sakhir Grand Prix as the first race of the championship," he said.
"I think if you are in a difficult situation, you need support. That is our responsibility. We need to give some support and it will penalize nobody to have a final answer by June 3."
toi
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