Pressure is mounting on the motorsport authorities to reconsider the decision to go ahead with this year's Bahrain Grand Prix.
MP Richard Burden, who is active in Parliament on both the Middle East and motorsport, echoed yesterday's call by former world champion Damon Hill for Formula One governing body the FIA to think again about holding the race on April 22.
Mr Burden, Labour MP for Birmingham Northfield, said: "Damon Hill is right to call on the governing body of motorsport to rethink its decision to go ahead with this year's Bahrain Grand Prix.
"I say that as someone who is a motorsport nut as well as an MP with a keen interest in the Middle East.
"The inquiry which the Bahrain Government set up into the events on its streets last year proved to be more independent than many expected and there is no doubt that there are those amongst the country's rulers seeking genuine reform.
"It is also true that not all the problems in Bahrain come from one side.
"In a context where genuine and sustainable reform is taking place, holding a grand prix could be a unifying event for the people of Bahrain as well as a positive showcase on the world stage. But things are not at that stage.
"Since February last year, 45 people have died on Bahrain's streets. The latest victim was killed by live ammunition only last week."
Hill, who is now an expert summariser on television channel Sky Sports F1, is not advocating that the race be cancelled again, but is expressing his misgivings given the situation, and calling on the FIA to "tread carefully".
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