Bahrain unrest forces Formula 1 opening race cancellation

Yesterday, HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalif of the Kingdom of Bahrain made the decision to cancel the opening race of the 2011 Formula 1 championship. The current unrest in the Kingdom made it impossible to ensure the safety of the thousands of visitors, and the country is still recovering from a week of turmoil.

HRH Prince Salman issued the following statement:

“After the events of the past week, our nation’s priority is on overcoming tragedy, healing divisions and rediscovering the fabric that draws this country together; reminding the world of the very best that Bahrain is capable of as a nation once again united.”

Because of this, the 2011 season won’t start till the Qantas Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 25th through the 27th. As of right now, the Bahrain race has not been rescheduled.

[Photo: John Moore/Getty Images]

Formula One returns to the United States – Austin to host races from 2012

Some fantastic news for Formula One fans all around the world – the most watched sport in the world is coming back to the United States – and will take place on a new track in Austin!

In the past, U.S. F1 races had been held in Watkins Glen, Indianapolis, Long Beach, Las Vegas, Detroit, Dallas and Phoenix. Sadly, after the 2007 season, it looked like the United States would be without a race for years to come.

Thankfully, a major US investor has committed to constructing a brand new venue, and secured a ten year agreement to host the event in Austin. The new track will be built by Full Throttle Productions, who are now the promoter of the United States Grand Prix.

City of Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell went on record to say “The City of Austin will be proud to host this magnificent event and I look forward to welcoming the participants and fans of Formula One to our City.”

Austin already has a great amount of experience hosting large events, and I’m sure the city will be able to put on a fantastic show when thousands of F1 fans show up for a weekend of racing. Congratulations to Austin – the Gadling team spent some time in your magnificent city earlier this month, and I for one will gladly return to enjoy the Formula One race at your new track.