Bernie Ecclestone met with the team bosses in Shanghai on Friday lunchtime and insisted afterwards that the Bahrain GP is still going ahead.
The team used the opportunity to express their concerns, but Ecclestone denied that the subject had even been the main focus of the meeting.
“I just asked if anybody had any problems, and everybody said no problem at all,” he said.
“This race is on the calendar, it’s been on the calendar for quite a long time. We will be there. All the teams are happy to be there.”
Asked whether he had any concerns, he said: “Not at all. We haven’t got any problems.”
Questioned about doubts expressed in the media, he added: “That’s the problem, it’s been discussed by the media, they don’t have any idea what’s going on.
“I know people that live there, and it’s all very quiet.”
When asked by Sky News whether he was going to the race, he said: “What a stupid question. You’re going to get a stupid answer. What would you expect?”
Regarding the political aspect, Ecclestone said: “What F1 has done for Bahrain is put Bahrain on the map. They will sort out their internal problems, I’m quite sure.
“I’m happy that our position is quite clear, we don’t get involved in the politics in a country.
“We had some problems in England recently,” he added.
Adam Cooper F1 
Bernie is really showing what an idiot he is.. Cannot compare Bahrain to England. The mighty $$$$$ rules.
Bernie is many things. Idiot is not one of them.
Bernie neatly avoided answering whether he would go or not. Was that a yes or a no?
I wonder if Jean Todt will be going.
I think there is a big cover up on Bahrain
People’s lives are at stake here
This is not the first time money and politics
Have been caught up in F1
Shame on Bernie ecclestone and the FIA
They are as bad as each other
I hope this particular GP does not come and
Bite them on the arse !!!
Ecclestone said: “What F1 has done for Bahrain is put Bahrain on the map. They will sort out their internal problems, I’m quite sure.”
Of course they will. Mostly by shooting and incarcerating anyone who even speaks out, let alone protests. Bernie will just jump on his jet at the end of the race with his bag of money and fly home. The money is the only thing that interests him I think.
Now, I’m not sure what Bernie is up to here, so I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.
Do you think that those people are going to be happy seeing the F1 circus come into town? It won’t matter if you’re a cameraman or catering staff to them, will it? I don’t know how people can put up to a 1000 people in such a volatile place. I hope that nobody will be injured who work in F1, including yourself, but I am sure it is an inevitability that someone- a citizen of Bahrain- will be injured, or worse.
The FIA’s stance on this is absurd. Last year it was slightly forgivable, and understandable, but this year its just disgusting the way they have approached this, not least their decision. No other polite way of putting it. Have they not learnt anything at all? Its odd that Bernie isn’t applying as much pressure as he did last year on the organisers and the FIA. Equally odd is that he seems more sure of his position than he did back last year, when he had an embarassing interview on the BBC.