Ecclestone looking to fit in Bahrain race near climax

The F1 supremo is confident of squeezing the postponed race towards the end since mid year will be summer in the region.

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Bernie Ecclestone has not given up hope of rescheduling the Bahrain Grand Prix for later in the season despite admitting that a summer race was impossible due to the high temperatures.

Unrest in the country led to the race at the Sakhir circuit, which was originally due to be scheduled next weekend as the season opener, being postponed, with Ecclestone, the Formula One supremo vowing to give the Gulf kingdom the chance to host the race at a later date in the year, and hinted at trying to place it after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit on November 13.

"I'm hoping upon hope that things settle peacefully in Bahrain and we can find a slot later on in the year," Ecclestone told the BBC yesterday. "But forget August. It is too hot for the public to sit in the grandstand at 40-odd degrees (Celsius).

"We will have a look and see what we can do, how we can swap things around a bit. Maybe we can change it with Brazil, or something like that."

Brazil is the final round of the season and is due to take place in Sao Paulo on November 27, with Abu Dhabi, the penultimate race, taking place two weeks earlier.

If Bahrain was to be put in between Abu Dhabi and Brazil at the end of the season it would lead to an unprecedented three races in three weeks.

Ecclestone is determined to stage a race in Bahrain this season, rather than simply forget about it until next year's calendar. "If they want the race then we want to be able to supply it for them," he said.

A decision is due to be made at Tuesday's meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Paris on what will happen to the Bahrain race.

* Press Association