MAY 27, 2011

F1 season headed for mid-December finish?

The 2011 season could end on December 11 in Dehli if proposals being discussed come to fruition.

The 2011 season could end on December 11 in Dehli if proposals being discussed come to fruition.

A decision will be taken by next Friday, June 3, pending the political situation, about the feasibility of slotting the Bahrain GP back into the schedule. Initially it was mooted that Bahrain could be given the current October 30 date for the inaugural Indian GP, with India moving back to December 4, a week after the Brazilian GP in Sao Paulo.

Such a move is unpopular with teams, however, with many team principals pointing out that with no test team, race teams had been flat-out since the beginning of January and that any extension of an already long season would give rise to intolerable stresses on personnel and families, and that ultimately staff would be lost.

Today, however, Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali said: "What we have been discussing is related to the possibility of shifting the date back not to the first week of December, but the second. It's quite a freaky calendar and we need to see if the logistics can be sorted out. It was raised by Bernie and we need to see if it's possible."

Force India team principal Vijay Mallya, who is involved with the Indian race, said: "The track is almost ready and will be ready well in time. Recent press reports apparently quoting Bernie saying that if Bahrain is re-instated then the Indian Grand Prix may actually be pushed back to December, obviously raised a lot of questions at home. But whether it's October 30th, as scheduled, or later in the year, we are ready and quite happy with the progress the promoters have made.

"There are no issues on whether the track will be completed or not. That track will be ready well in time. There's a huge amount of interest. I can tell you that people are already clamoring for tickets and it's a major step forward in Indian motor sport and sport in general in our country, so everybody is looking forward to it. Whether it's October 30th or December really doesn't matter to us. In fact, in December the weather is cooler in India and Delhi in particular so it shouldn't impact the race in any way."

But December 11? Christmas in Dehli, anyone?