MONTREAL, canada // After four months of uncertainty, a sense of normality returned to Formula One yesterday as Bernie Ecclestone confirmed he had submitted a revised calendar to the sport's governing body.
The modified schedule does not include the beleaguered Bahrain Grand Prix.
"We'll be back to normal," said Ecclestone, F1's commercial rights holder. "We have to put it to the World Council. I sent something [yesterday] morning, so it will be quick."
Ecclestone was forced to act after Jean Todt, the president of the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), asked him to present an alternative calendar following a letter from the Formula One Teams Association (Fota) stating their refusal to race in Bahrain this year. Bahrain, originally postponed by the country's Crown Prince because of civil unrest, was unanimously reinstated last week following a vote by the 26-member World Motor Sports Council. It was planned to take place on October 30, with India's inaugural race shifting to December 11.
However, the decision was met with disapproval from 11 of the 12 racing teams and without their approval, a change of calendar was impossible.
Bahrain International Circuit organisers released a statement yesterday confirming they would "not pursue the rescheduling of a race this season", allowing Ecclestone to resubmit the original calendar, with India returning to its October 30 date.
"Whilst Bahrain would have been delighted to see the Grand Prix progress on October 30, it has been made clear that this fixture cannot progress and we fully respect that decision," said Zayed Alzayani, the president of the Sakhir-based circuit.
"We want our role in Formula One to continue to be as positive and constructive as it has always been. Therefore, in the best interest of the sport, we will not pursue the rescheduling of a race this season."
On the first day of practice at he Canadian Grand Prix, team principals spoke of their disappointment of the way in which the situation has been dealt with.
Christian Horner, the man who led Red Bull Racing to the constructors' and drivers' championship last year in Abu Dhabi, said the "unfortunate situation ... could have been handled better".
Eric Boullier, Renault's team principal and also the vice-chairman of FOTA, said Formula One, which he joined only last season, needs to understand international affairs are more important than motor racing.
"I am a young, inexperienced team principal, but I am pushing hard to do my best to help to build F1 for the future - and obviously it is never good when you get such reactions when things like this happen," he said. "F1 is a non-political sport. We cannot do whatever we want - because there are issues like this.
"We need to be a little bit more cautious."
Martin Whitmarsh, the McLaren-Mercedes team principal and the chairman of FOTA, said the teams need to work together to improve the sport as a spectacle and brand.
"I've been involved in the sport for 23 years and so I'm criticising myself when I say we haven't done a very good job at managing the sport," Whitmarsh said.
"Historically, the teams spent most of the time fighting each other seven days a week, not only on the racetrack but in court - everywhere.
"McLaren and Ferrari have been through 30 years of fairly bloody conflict at times, but we've wised up. We both have very similar business models and we're passionate about F1.
"We desperately want to beat each other on Sunday, and that's how it should be, but away from that we can work together."
Despite Formula One's image being sullied by the situation, Ecclestone said the reason for the drawn-out process was because: "We were trying to help Bahrain, who have been very helpful to Formula One, and hoping they could get themselves sorted out.
"I don't know whether there is peace or not; I've no idea.
"The FIA sent somebody out to check and they said it was all OK. I think the teams had different information, and they have the right to say they don't want to change the calendar."
Asked whether he felt sorry for the Bahrain race organisers, Ecclestone added: "Yes, I was hoping everything would be fine.
"I definitely tried to help Bahrain, that's for sure."
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
INDIA'S%20TOP%20INFLUENCERS
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
BRAZIL SQUAD
Alisson (Liverpool), Daniel Fuzato (Roma), Ederson (Man City); Alex Sandro (Juventus), Danilo (Juventus), Eder Militao (Real Madrid), Emerson (Real Betis), Felipe (Atletico Madrid), Marquinhos (PSG), Renan Lodi (Atletico Madrid), Thiago Silva (PSG); Arthur (Barcelona), Casemiro (Real Madrid), Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa), Fabinho (Liverpool), Lucas Paqueta (AC Milan), Philippe Coutinho (Bayern Munich); David Neres (Ajax), Gabriel Jesus (Man City), Richarlison (Everton), Roberto Firmino (Liverpool), Rodrygo (Real Madrid), Willian (Chelsea).
Frankenstein in Baghdad
Ahmed Saadawi
Penguin Press
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Dubai World Cup Carnival Thursday race card
6.30pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group Three US$200,000 (Turf) 2,000m
7.05pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m
7.40pm: UAE Oaks Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
8.15pm: Zabeel Mile Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,600m
8.50pm: Meydan Sprint Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,000m
9.25pm: Handicap $135,000 (D) 1,400m
10pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Stree
Producer: Maddock Films, Jio Movies
Director: Amar Kaushik
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana, Abhishek Banerjee
Rating: 3.5
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
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Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
'Avengers: Infinity War'
Dir: The Russo Brothers
Starring: Chris Evans, Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Robert Downey Junior, Scarlett Johansson, Elizabeth Olsen
Four stars
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
Jumanji: The Next Level
Director: Jake Kasdan
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black, Nick Jonas
Two out of five stars
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Company%20profile
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
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