Controversy aside, a thrilling grand prix is in store in Bahrain

Dubai: The Bahrain Grand Prix returns this week, with organisers hoping the prospect of a thrilling, wide open race makes up for the tight security likely to be in force.

The decision to go ahead with Sunday's race — cancelled last year — was made last week after Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone declared the country safe. Ecclestone said all 12 teams told him they were happy to travel to Bahrain for the race.

For Bahrain's rulers, the race is nothing short of an economic lifeline.

The Bahrain GP is the nation's biggest sports event, drawing a worldwide TV audience of about 100 million in 187 countries. It brought in $500 million (Dh1.8 billion) in 2010 and 100,000 visitors, according to global risk analysis group Maplecroft. Such an infusion is desperately needed in a country whose economy contracted 50 per cent last year due to the unrest, Maplecroft said.

Organisers have repeatedly insisted the race will be safe and that security fears are overblown. They have blamed extremist groups using "scare-mongering tactics" for raising doubts about the race and have employed everyone from Bahrain football coach Peter Taylor to John Yates, a former assistant commissioner in the London Metropolitan Police Service, to reassure teams and fans.

The race itself should be a wide open affair with no clear favourite and at least half a dozen drivers with a solid chance to win. The race's unpredictability is a reflection of a surprising F1 season in which three different drivers have won the first three races.

McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, who has finished third in all three races, led in the driver standings with 45 points, two ahead of his teammate Jenson Button, who won the season-opening Australian GP and finished second in China. Fernando Alonso of Ferrari, who won the Malaysian GP, is third with 37 points, followed by Red Bull teammates Mark Webber (36) and Vettel (28).

Champion struggles

Much of the attention will be on Vettel, who in 2010 became the youngest F1 champion but has struggled this year. He has had only one podium finish — a second in Australia. He finished fifth in China after qualifying 11th and finished out of the points altogether after a collision with back-marker Narain Karthikeyan dropped him to 11th place.

That is in stark contrast to last season, when he won six of the first eight races and was on the podium 17 times.

Vettel has acknowledged his car is not performing the way it did last season, though the German insisted the season was not lost and he was looking forward to the challenges that Bahrain offers.

"The track requires a lot from the drivers, because the constantly changing character of the corners means you never really get time to settle in to a lap," Vettel said.

"Also, as the track's built in the middle of the desert, you have to manage the sand there."

Ferrari, too, will be looking to get their season back on track in Bahrain. Alonso failed to capitalise on his unexpected Malaysian win with a strong performance in China, with the Spaniard placing ninth and teammate Felipe Massa finishing down in 13th. Much of their problems have been blamed on a lack of pace in qualifying and races — a challenge that Alonso and the team admitted cannot be fixed overnight.

"We can expect another difficult weekend, which is only natural, partly because of the track characteristics and also because the car is the same one we had in Shanghai," Alonso said.