Bahrain Grand Prix Gets October Date

Red Bull Vettel in Bahrain last year

The Bahrain Grand Prix -- which had been the opening race of the Formula One racing season -- has been reinstated to the 2011 calendar after being cancelled earlier this year over the unrest in the Gulf kingdom, officials announced Friday.

The race in Bahrain, which had been scheduled for March 13, was cancelled in February, when the Bahraini crown prince informed Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone of the decision by telephone after days of violent clashes. The first race was moved to Australia.

The race in Bahrain is now scheduled for October 28th - 30th, according to the Bahrain International Circuit.

"This is welcome news for all of Bahrain," BIC Chairman Zayed R. Alzayani said in a statement Friday. "As a country we have faced a difficult time, but stability has returned; with businesses operating close to normal, the State of National Safety lifted and countries removing travel restrictions."

"Collectively, we are in the process of addressing issues of national and international concern, and learning lessons from the recent past. By the time the Grand Prix arrives we will be able to remind the world about Bahrain at its best.

On Wednesday, Bahrain lifted state of emergency laws that had allowed for a crackdown on political leaders and journalists, but at the same time the government continued its crackdown on the country's major Shiite political opposition movement and stifled the latest street protests.

It filed charges against four top opposition leaders in a move that could weaken the country's Al Wefaq party, according to two opposition sources. This came as King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa appealed for dialogue, saying that talks with opposition groups are scheduled to begin in July.

The lifting of the emergency laws, imposed in mid-March, is thought to be an effort to signal an end to months of civil unrest stemming from the Arab Spring, a wave of anti-government demonstrations that started in Tunisia and have since roiled several countries in the Middle East and North Africa, including Egypt, Syria, Yemen and Bahrain.

But the announcement by the country's Information Affairs Authority followed one from the justice ministry the day before warning against "any type of activities that could affect the security or harm the national peace and safety."

Still, Alzayani on Friday said: "The Bahrain Grand Prix has always been a source of national pride and it is an event than transcends politics. Not only does it receive strong support from the Government, but also from all major parties in Bahrain, including our largest opposition group, Al Wefaq, who yesterday endorsed both the BIC and motor-racing in Bahrain."