Formula One:Bernie Ecclestone says Formula One chiefs are prepared to give Bahrain more time to decide whether the country's postponed Grand Prix can be held this year.
The race, which had been due to open the season on March 13, was cancelled after a crackdown on anti-government protests in the Gulf state resulted in a number of deaths.
F1's governing body, the FIA, had previously told organisers they had until May 1 to decide whether the race could be rescheduled but Ecclestone said that more leeway could be given.
"We need to wait a little bit to see exactly how progress is made," F1's commercial rights controller said, adding that he might have to say "bye-bye Bahrain" but a decision was not imminent.
"I suppose we'd be safe by early June or something like that," he said.
Ecclestone said that "things can change in a couple of weeks...so you don't know. All of a sudden everything might be peaceful in a month's time and they are happy to run the event and so we are happy to be there."
He added that he and FIA president Jean Todt were discussing the situation.