Bahrain is blocking Qatar’s plans to join the F1 calendar.<\/p>\n
F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said last month that despite negotiating with a keen Qatari group, a race in the oil-rich Arab state is actually unlikely.<\/p>\n
That is because he made one of his famous “handshake deals” with Bahrain’s crown prince years ago not to install any new races in the Persian Gulf.<\/p>\n
“I put the people together and said ‘Can you sort this out between you?’. They haven’t managed to do it,” said Ecclestone.<\/p>\n
Since then, Qatar has stepped up its F1 bid, securing the backing of the Emir, hosting the FIA’s recent gala awards and now unveiling images of a proposed new street circuit in Lusail.<\/p>\n
Despite agreeing to the spectacular floodlit Abu Dhabi grand prix, however, Bahrain is refusing to budge in similarly allowing Qatar on the calendar.<\/p>\n
“My personal opinion of having another race – wherever it is – I don’t think we are ready for that,” Bahrain circuit chief Sheikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa is quoted by British newspapers.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u00a9 RIF | GMM<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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