- City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
- Dubai 04:36 05:52 12:21 15:49 18:45 20:02
Ferrari's Spanish driver Fernando Alonso drives at the Bahrain international circuit on in Manama, during the first free practice session of the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix. (AFP)
Bahrain has until May to decide whether the country's postponed Formula One grand prix can be rescheduled this year, the sport's governing body said on Tuesday.
"The World Motor Sport Council asked the Bahrain Motor Federation to communicate by May 1st at the latest if the Bahrain Grand Prix can be organised in 2011," the International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement.
The race was originally scheduled for the Sakhir circuit this weekend and would have been the season-opener .
The championship will now start in Melbourne with the Australian Grand Prix on March 27.
Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has said he wants to reschedule the Bahrain, with a likely date towards the end of the season.
"We'll have a look and see what we can do, how we can swap things round a bit," the Briton said last week. "Maybe we can change with Brazil or something like that."
Brazil is scheduled to end the season on Nov. 27, after the penultimate race in Abu Dhabi.
The FIA's motor sport council, meeting in Paris, have also tweaked rules regarding tyres and the safety car with immediate effect.
The FIA said an additional specification of dry weather tyres, and extra set of 'prime' tyres, could be made available to teams at certain events for evaluation purposes and used in Friday practice only.
"Teams will be informed about such an additional specification at least one week before the start of the relevant event," it added.
Pirelli has taken over from Bridgestone as Formula One's sole tyre supplier this year.
Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.