As for the race in Bahrain, a controversial affair in recent years given the
civil uprising which took place in the tiny Gulf kingdom in 2011 and the
unrest which has followed, it has twice before acted as Formula One’s
curtain raiser, in 2006 and in 2010.
Whitmarsh, who also serves as the chairman of the Formula One Teams
Association, said that he expected its return to the opening slot to be a
formality. “I think you know that the manufacturers and the teams want to
start testing a little earlier,” Whitmarsh said. “The idea of having a test
in mid-January, probably in Jerez, logistically is straightforward.
“Then having a gap by which you can respond to the issues and then testing in
some warm weather in the Middle East seems to be attractive to the teams.
And if you’re there, starting the season there seems a pretty sensible
approach. So I think most people have agreed it and I suspect it’s going to
be confirmed.”
Whitmarsh added that he had no idea whether Russia or New Jersey would be
ready in time, but he did caution against trying to force too many races on
to a sport already groaning under the strain.
“I don’t know whether there really will be 21 races. I’ve heard the stories of
a variety of new venues, from Russia and talk of New Jersey again and those
sorts of things. They are both important territories, aren’t they?
“Whether all the other dates on the calendar survive I don’t know but 21 races
is a lot that is for sure. This year we have 19, we did 20 last year. I know
it’s only one more but we have been saying that since we were at about 14
races and most of those were in Europe. It gets quite tough for the teams.”