APRIL 20, 2012

Security fears prompt Force India reschedule

Force India is set to shorten its participation in the second session of Bahrain free practice, or even abandon it altogether, in the interests of security.

Paul di Resta, Bahrain GP 2012
© Active Pictures

Force India is set to shorten its participation in the second session of Bahrain free practice, or even abandon it altogether, in the interests of security.

The team's mechanics were caught in a skirmish between police and protestors on the way back from the circuit to their hotel on Wednesday evening and it seems that the team is now concerned about getting back to the hotel in daylight hours.

Team principal Bob Fernley said: "We are looking at the data we have and we may reschedule. We may not take part in all of FP2."

The team was evidently attempting to gather as much data as possible in the first session of free practice, which partly explains the decision to put soft rubber on Paul Di Resta's car when the track was still apparently dusty in the first session of free practice, resulting in third quickest time.

It is understood that with protests scheduled for later in the day, Force India's security advice is to travel before the hours of darkness and that the team feels duty bound to put the safety of its staff first, having witnessed first-hand what can happen.

The obvious question is: what are the implications that for qualifying and the race, which have respective Saturday and Sunday start times the same as and one hour later than the second session of free practice?

Logically, the team may feel that they have no choice but to participate in qualifying and the race, but can do some rescheduling to limit risk today.