A couple of weeks ago after a tip from a good source I suggested that the Indian GP might end up on December 11, and Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali confirmed today that Bernie Ecclestone has indeed proposed the date.
Bernie is trying to move Delhi to free up October 30 for Bahrain. The problem with the previously suggested date of December 4 is that it is regarded as almost impossible to get F1’s infrastructure into India from the Brazilian GP on November 27.
New races are never scheduled as back-to-backs because of the lack of experience with customs and so on.
The FIA’s end of year meetings – including the F1 prizegiving involving the top three drivers – is due to take place in Delhi the week before the proposed new date…
The other more pressing in problem is that many race team staff members are committed to holidays in December because that’s the only time available.
“What we discussed yesterday was related to the possibility of a calendar that will be presented to the WMSC on Friday [June 3],” said Domenicali, “that will shift the last date not in the first week of December, but the second week. This is quite a tricky calendar, I might say. We need to sort out and see if the logistics of all of this can be sorted out.”
Domenicali said Ferrari is keen to return to Bahrain: “I think that first of all I can speak about Ferrari, Ferrari wants to go to Bahrain for the future, for a long time. We feel Bahrain is a race where F1 has to go. We need to work together with them to see if for the benefit of being there for a really long, long time it’s good to do a choice for this year, or wait and see.”
Meanwhile someone who should know indicated to me that Delhi could do with the extra time…
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog 
then let the red cars go there.by themselves.
no fans no tv,just them ,the troops with the guns,and bernie.
they deserve each other.
I am sure McLaren wants to go as well, after all it is a home race for some of the owners of McLaren.
Bernie seems to have won again. All the talk is of logistics, no mention at all about whether it is appropriate to go in light of the protests, political unrest & human rights abuses which are still ongoing although not in the news.
A few things come to mind on this: Bernie wants his money (probably doesn’t get it if Bahrain race is not held), Ferrari wants the race to be held just in case a miracle occurs and they get back in the championship hunt, something is going on with the India circuit that will prevent them from having the race on schedule, and nobody is asking the question “Is it right to go to Bahrain considering the political turmoil there?
Pity the poor race team members who will have no time off between seasons and will have to make a mad dash half way across the world to get to India. I can ‘t help thinking that greed is getting in the way of good common sense.
Agree Mick, truly bizarre. My guess is that the FIA won’t allow it, or more importantly the insurance companies will refuse to cover the freight heading into essentially a war zone. You can bet the opposition will do everything in their power to shut down the race, regardless of how many mercenaries the kingdom hires to try to quell things. Just takes one rogue marshal to run out during the middle of the race to bring things to an embarrassing and potentially frightful end.
Thanks Mick, my thoughts also.
Bernie’s a complete sociopath. Only interested in money and doesn’t care about the teams, the crew, the drivers as is shown by his ignorance to complete a “winter break.”
F1 will be much better off when he goes away, one way or another.
Before you all go ahead and judge Bernie and the teams for being open to going Bahrain, take a look at this MUST READ article http://bit.ly/lJdM4u on Bahrain and F1!
It’s written by a Bahraini F1 fan to the International F1 community. It’s essential reading to anyone who wants to know revealing facts about the Bahrain issue, and how Bahrainis feel about F1 this year..
Do they want it back or not? Read it to find out..
P.S. Thank you Sir for posting a decent objective post about the Bahrain GP without the usual bashing approach others go for.. It’s important to hear what Bahrainis have to say on this matter since you are claiming to support us after all 🙂
LAK,
If you read what this resident has to say in http://pitpass.com/43742-A-plea-from-Bahrain you will find a more objective view than the one-sided trash you’ve presented.
Quite surprised that pro-government propagandists have found it their concern to frequently post on the blogs of various F1 journalists since February.