Bahrain reshuffle could push season into December

The 2011 season could end with a back-to-back double header in the Arabian peninsula, according to the latest reports.

Even though the turmoil in Bahrain is still ongoing, and the FIA’s May deadline for a race rescheduling has entered its final month, the reports say moves are afoot to reshuffle the end of the calendar.

Italiaracing said the most likely scenario now for a rescheduled Bahrain grand prix would also involve rescheduling November’s nearby Abu Dhabi race.

The report said the Yas Marina event could be pushed back to December, with Brazil’s currently season-ending date brought forward to close the gap.

The final two calendar stops could then be Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, separated on the map by mere hundreds of kilometres, run back-to-back.

“We’ll have a look and see what we can do, how we can swap things round a bit,” Bernie Ecclestone said last month.  “Maybe we can change with Brazil or something like that.”

In February, Abu Dhabi motor federation president Mohammed ben Sulayem said Yas Marina was open to helping Bahrain find a rescheduled date in 2011.

“Finding time in the calendar is feasible,” he said.

“Originally, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain agreed to have a big separation on the calendar to make the most of the exposure that a grand prix brings.  However, this is an emergency and in an emergency we need to work together,” he added.

Italiaracing, however, said the teams might be reluctant to see the schedule extended into December.

© RIF | GMM