F1 Live Blog

The governing body of the Formula One motor racing series says that the Bahrain Grand Prix will go ahead as planned, despite ongoing political instability and threats by protesters to disrupt the event, the Associated Press reports.

In a statement issued early Friday, the FIA said: "Based on the current information the FIA has at this stage, it is satisfied that all the proper security measures are in place" and that  "therefore, the FIA confirms that the 2012 Gulf Air F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain will go ahead as scheduled". 

The race will be held on April 22 at the Sakhir circuit.

1996 Formula One champion Damon Hill has urged the race's governing body to rethink its event in Bahrain scheduled for later this month, the UK's Telegraph reported Thursday. Last year's F1 race in Bahrain was postponed before being cancelled due to the unrest from a popular uprising calling for democracy in the island kingdom. 

Hill, who had previously said the race should go ahead, told the Telegraph:

"Things are different now. The protests have not abated and may even have become more determined and calculated. It is a worrying state of affairs.

“What we must put above all else is what will be the penalty in terms of human cost if the race goes ahead."

“It would be a bad state of affairs, and bad for Formula One, to be seen to be enforcing martial law in order to hold the race. That is not what this sport should be about. Looking at it today you’d have to say that [the race] could be creating more problems than it’s solving.”