By Simon Cass
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Events at this weekend?s Chinese Grand Prix are in danger of being overshadowed by uncertainty over whether the following race in Bahrain will go ahead amidst continued political unrest in the Gulf state.
At present, Formula One teams are working on the principle that the Bahrain Grand Prix is still on despite concerns over the safety of their employees and misgivings about staging a race in a country whose human rights record has been brought into question.
However, with groups opposed to the ruling Bahrain royal family heavily critical of the decision to return the grand prix to the calendar following its cancelation last year and with potentially violent protests expected to increase in intensity as the race on April 22 draws ever closer, teams have put in place contingency plans in the event it is called off yet again.
On the Button: Bahrain hasn't hosted a grand prix since the season opener in 2010
It is expected that most teams will fly their personnel to Middle East states such as Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Oman and Qatar rather than directly to Bahrain following Sunday?s race in Shanghai.
Thus, if the race does indeed go ahead as planned teams face only a short flight to Bahrain to carry out their normal grand prix preparations. But in the event it is cancelled, the majority of Formula One personnel can fly home to Europe without ever setting foot in Bahrain.
Trouble: There have been growing calls to scrap this year's Bahrain Grand Prix
The worst case scenario for the teams is, of course, for the race to be cancelled once they have installed themselves at the Sakhir circuit as a consequence of the situation on the ground deteriorating to such an extent that it is not deemed safe to proceed.
World motorsport governing body, the FIA, insist they are monitoring events in Bahrain on a daily basis and remain in constant contact with the government authorities who continue to assert it is safe to stage the race. Meanwhile, Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone remains adamant the grand prix will go ahead.
Ecclestone is due in China this weekend as is FIA president Jean Todt with the teams certain to seek a meeting with the Formula One power brokers regarding the situation in Bahrain.
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