[EnvellFen]

The natives are restless, it seems. Hot on the heels of Egyptian protesters eventually overthrowing President Mubarak, Iran and Bahrain now appear to be in a race to become the next country to oust their leaders.

Thousands took to the streets recently in Manama to protest the death of a mourner at an earlier funeral, and now it appears that some protestors are planning to use next month's F1 race as the focal point for more action, knowing that there'll be a massive media presence.

Joe Saward relays this quote from Nabeel Rajab, the vice president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights:

For sure F1 is not going to be peaceful this time. They’ll be lots of journalists, a lot of people looking and [the government] will react in a stupid manner as they did today and yesterday. And that will be bloody but will be more publicised. James Allen also makes this point in his excellent analysis of the situation:

It’s not the event itself that we need to worry about, as that will be extremely well protected, it’s the comings and goings of the people who work in the sport, which is more tricky to protect. And of course, the drivers. Remember the coverage Jenson Button got when he and his entourage were held up at gun point by an armed gang in Brazil? They got away, but no coverage at all was given to the two groups of mechanics and technicians who were actually robbed by the gang. Hopefully all will pass peacefully, but personally I'm glad that I don't have tickets.