Bahrain GP organisers cancel F1 race

Bahrain GP organisers cancelled the March 13 opening race of the Formula One season on Monday due to unrest in the country.

Bahrain GP organisers cancelled the March 13 opening race of the Formula One season on Monday due to unrest in the country. The race could still be rescheduled but organisers, in a statement issued on their behalf that no decision had been taken yet.

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"The Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) today announced that the Kingdom of Bahrain would withdraw from hosting this year's race so that the country can focus on its process of national dialogue," they said.

Seven people have been killed and hundreds injured in a crackdown against protesters demanding more say in the Gulf Arab kingdom. King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa has asked his son, the crown prince, to conduct a dialogue with all parties.

"At present, the country's attention is focussed on building a new national dialogue for Bahrain," Prince Salman said.

"We felt it was important for the country to focus on immediate issues of national interest and leave the hosting of Bahrain's F1 race to a later date," he added.