F1 racing in Bahrain and “other new markets is a crucial part” of Management Chair Bernie Ecclestone’s strategy for the sport, but as the April 22 date for the Bahrain Grand Prix approaches, “debate is again raging over whether Formula One should go," according to the ECONOMIST. Many fans “fail to understand why Formula One cannot simply stay away from Bahrain.” Races at Bahrain’s new circuit have “outperformed expectations, drawing record television audiences, largely due to the relatively small time difference with European viewers.” Bahrain’s race in '08 was the “second-most watched of the season.” Ecclestone recently declared that “'Europe is finished,' and plans to move F1 away from its historical heartland to expand into Middle Eastern and Asian markets.” European circuits “used to dominate, but will claim fewer than half of the races this season” as the governments of countries “such as China, Abu Dhabi and Singapore are willing to pay higher fees than long-established, privately-owned European circuits.” But Bahrain shows “the difficulty for such a high-profile sport,” and future Grands Prix in Asia, the Middle East and elsewhere “may well face similar problems.” A recent new deal scheduled for '14 is “the first-ever Grand Prix in Russia, where anti-government protests have dramatically gained strength of late.” Ecclestone “badly needs to set a precedent for pressing ahead with a Grand Prix despite an unpleasant political environment.” If he does not go to Bahrain, his “entire business strategy could be called into question” (ECONOMIST.com, 2/18).
