source - Al Jazeera - http://english.aljazeera.net/sport/2011/02/2011221162210362107.html - see below:

The season-opening Formula One race in Bahrain has been called off because of anti-government protests, officials have said.

Bahrain Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa said on Monday that the country must "focus on immediate issues of national interest and leave the hosting of Bahrain's Formula One race to a later date."

The race had been set to run on March 13.

The race could still be rescheduled but organisers said in a statement that no decision had been taken yet.

"The Bahrain International Circuit [BIC] today announced that the Kingdom of Bahrain would withdraw from hosting this year's F1 Grand Prix race so that the country can focus on its process of national dialogue," they said.

King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa has asked his son, the crown prince, to conduct a dialogue with all parties.

"At the present time the country's entire attention is focused on building a new national dialogue for Bahrain," Prince Salman said.

"Although [F1 supremo] Bernie Ecclestone had graciously made clear that a decision on the race was entirely Bahrain's to make and was not yet required, we felt it was important for the country to focus on immediate issues of national interest and leave the hosting of Bahrain's Formula One race to a later date."

Ecclestone added in the statement that Formula One looked forward to returning soon.

"It is sad that Bahrain has had to withdraw from the race, we wish the whole nation well as they begin to heal their country," he said.

protesters continue to occupy the pearl roundabout, a landmark junction in the heart of the capital, Manama.

Demonstrations began with calls to weaken the Sunni monarchy's power and address claims of discrimination against the country's Shia Muslim majority.