FIA’s new stance gives impression of indecisiveness

Bahrain has been given another month to propose the rescheduling of its postponed 2011 grand prix.

The FIA’s May 1 deadline came and went amid Bernie Ecclestone saying the island Kingdom, who pay a reported $40 million fee per year for the F1 race, should be given more time to overcome its civil problems.

Bahrain officials insist the situation is improving, but Iran foreign minister Ali Akbar Salehi on Monday said the "status quo" in the kingdom "will have bad repercussions" in the region.

On the same day, F1’s governing body imposed a new deadline of June 3, the date of the World Motor Sport Council meeting in Barcelona.

"This decision was taken after consultation with the relevant Bahraini authorities and (Ecclestone’s) Formula One Management", read a statement.

The FIA’s new stance gives the impression of indecisiveness and also having bowed to pressure, particularly as it followed hot on the heels of an FIA spokeswoman admitting she did not know what would shortly happen.

"As far as the FIA is concerned we do not have any information. I can’t tell you if it (the decision) is today, tomorrow or the next month," she had said before the statement was issued.