19 Feb 2011

Ecclestone more optimistic about Bahrain Grand prix

6:04 am on 19 February 2011

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone says he's more optimistic about next month's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix going ahead as planned despite bloody protests in the country.

A day after saying the March 13th race would probably have to be cancelled if the situation in Manama had not improved by Wednesday, the 80-year-old Briton sounded more upbeat.

Ecclestone says it'ss not for Formula One to run the country and side-stepped questions about whether the sport should contemplate going to a country where protests for democratic change were met with bullets.

Four protesters were killed and 231 wounded when riot police drove activists from a makeshift camp in Bahrain's capital Manama yesterday.