Manama: Crown Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa called for making Bahrain, and not political groups, the winner in next weekend's Formula One race.
"This race is more than just an international sports event and must not be exploited to serve any political goal, which may be detrimental to this great global gathering," Prince Salman said.
"We must unify our efforts to serve Bahrain which should be the top winner in organising such an international event. We must do away with the idea of winners and losers because the real winners are the sons and daughters of Bahrain," he said as he toured the Sakhir circuit where the races will be held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Bahrain has regularly figured on the F1 calendar since 2004 when it became the first country in the Middle East to hold the Formula One Grand Prix, the most watched event in the world after the Olympics.
However, the race was postponed then cancelled last year as the country went through a period of unprecedented unrest. Plans to hold it this year have been given the green light by the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA).
Prince Salman said that moderation and positive openness were major factors in holding international events in Bahrain.
