PARIS, France - The FIA is "nervous" ahead of Formula 1's still-controversial return to Bahrain in 2013.
After the 2011 race was cancelled due to civil unrest in the island kingdom, the sport's return to Sakhir in 2012 was hugely controversial.
According to London Times correspondent Kevin Eason "top-level figures" within the sport's Paris-based governing body "are already nervous" that the 2013 race - scheduled for late April - will be "another horrifying embarrassment".
'PR DISASTER'
An unnamed source said: "It was a public relations disaster on every level. The race will go on but you have to wonder what will happen this time.
"The demonstrators were not very organised in April 2012 and they probably feel they missed the chance to use the race as a platform. This time they have plenty of warning that the race is on and plenty of time to make plans.
"It's fingers-crossed time."
After the 2011 race was cancelled due to civil unrest in the island kingdom, the sport's return to Sakhir in 2012 was hugely controversial.
According to London Times correspondent Kevin Eason "top-level figures" within the sport's Paris-based governing body "are already nervous" that the 2013 race - scheduled for late April - will be "another horrifying embarrassment".
'PR DISASTER'
An unnamed source said: "It was a public relations disaster on every level. The race will go on but you have to wonder what will happen this time.
"The demonstrators were not very organised in April 2012 and they probably feel they missed the chance to use the race as a platform. This time they have plenty of warning that the race is on and plenty of time to make plans.
"It's fingers-crossed time."