F1 supremo Ecclestone moots Bahrain rescheduling

MANAMA (AFP) –

Ferrari‘s Fernando Alonso drives during the second practice session at the Bahrain International Circuit in Manama, on April 19, 2013. Formula One’s commercial ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone has suggested that the Bahrain Grand Prix could be rescheduled as the season-opening race but Brazil would remain subject to track upgrades.

Formula One’s commercial ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone on Friday suggested that the Bahrain Grand Prix could be rescheduled as the season-opening race but Brazil would remain subject to track upgrades.

Ecclestone told reporters in Manama for the Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend that he had received assurances from the Sao Paulo mayor about plans to upgrade facilities at the Interlagos circuit.

“I’ve just received a letter from him. He has now guaranteed that he will revamp the whole facilities there, which is good. We’ve been waiting long enough. If Sao Paulo do what they say they are going to do, we don’t need to move,” he added.

The F1 supremo added that he was “talking to quite a few countries” about being added to the calendar, including Thailand, Mexico and Turkey.

Asked about the prospects of switching Bahrain from its current position as fourth race of the season to the curtain-raiser, he said he was “looking at” the proposal.

Bahrain race chief Zayed Alzayani on Thursday said he was keen on the idea of his event becoming the first race again — as it was in 2006 and 2010.

The idea could lead to teams using Bahrain for pre-season testing and staying for a longer period in the Gulf kingdom, he added.

“We could do, I suppose, couldn’t we?” said Ecclestone. “We changed because Australia had been around a long time and wanted to maintain on it. We would need to have a look at it.”

Ecclestone also reaffirmed his opposition to the turbo-charged 1.6-litre V6 engines which will replace the current 2.4-litre V8s from next year.

He said he feared the switch would prompt a “fuel economy run.”

“It’s the manufacturers that don’t want them touched,” said Ecclestone.

“They always have said they made a big commitment to get where we are. I’ve explained if one of you have got it wrong, which will happen, whatever commitment you have made, you will have to spend an awful lot more to get it right.

“What we have got at the moment is good. There is nothing wrong with it.”

Asked about this season’s fast-wearing Pirelli tyres, Ecclestone dismissed concerns from teams including champions Red Bull that they are degrading too fast and resulting in over-complex races.

“Pirelli have done an absolutely first-class job,” he said. “They have done what we asked them to do, make sure we didn’t have tyres that didn’t last even half the race…

“If by chance they (Red Bull) get the tyres to work here, they will probably be the best tyres. Up until now, they haven’t got it to work so it’s not good.”

Pirelli boss Paul Hembery responded: “We will do what we are asked to do by the sport. It is early days… and there are a lot of different points of view. Let’s see.”