Bahrain uncertainty continues after deadline

A decision about the possible rescheduling of the Bahrain grand prix this year has been postponed for yet another day.

After the May 1 deadline ran out on Sunday, it had been expected that the governing FIA would declare on Monday if a new date could be set for a 2011 race in the troubled island kingdom.

But as the Paris federation and Bernie Ecclestone apparently disagree about whether the organisers should be given even more time, the F1 chief executive was quoted as saying the sport "will go there this year if the authorities can guarantee a peaceful and quiet race".

The rubber-stamp however must be given by the FIA, and a spokesman told the BBC that ongoing talks will result in a decision "in the next hours".

"The Bahrain government will let us know within this deadline whether they see the conditions (for a rescheduled race) or they don’t," he said.

The situation was muddied as the May 1 deadline expired on Sunday, when the Sakhir circuit issued a vague statement.

Asked what it really meant, a spokesman for the track said: "We are not saying we are hosting it, we are not saying we are not hosting it. We are not saying it is cancelled."