Niki Lauda has urged F1 authorities to call off the 2011 season opener.<\/p>\n
“This is about democracy in a country,” the triple world champion told Bild newspaper, as anti-government protesters clash with violent police in Bahrain’s capital Manama.<\/p>\n
“It would be wrong to suddenly burst into a sports event.\u00a0 We need to stay out of there,” added Lauda.<\/p>\n
A GP2 Asia race has already been cancelled, with some competitors including Spaniard Dani Clos revealing that his hotel was just 200 metres from the centre of the fighting.<\/p>\n
“After learning that we weren’t going to race, the only thought was finding a way to get out of the country,” he told AS newspaper.\u00a0 “And the sooner the better.”<\/p>\n
The F1 teams are yet to declare a unified position on the March testing and world championship opener, but FOTA is scheduled to meet in Barcelona on Friday.<\/p>\n
“The safety of our employees is paramount,” Mercedes motor racing vice-president Norbert Haug said.<\/p>\n
F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone spoke to the media late on Thursday and admitted he is very concerned.<\/p>\n
“It’s not good is it?” said the Briton.\u00a0 “If things stay as they are today, the answer is no.\u00a0 If it’s not quietened down by Wednesday, I think we will have to cancel probably,” added Ecclestone.<\/p>\n
“We’ll make a decision by Tuesday or Wednesday,” he said, “(but) If you are making travel arrangements, I’d say don’t.<\/p>\n
“We may try to put it (Bahrain) on again later in the year.”<\/p>\n
The Bahrain military said on state television late on Thursday that it had “key parts” of Manama back under control.<\/p>\n
But US secretary of state Hilary Clinton, even with America’s entire fifth fleet stationed in Bahrain, admitted “deep concern” about the government’s violent overreaction to the protests.<\/p>\n
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