Reaction to the reinstatement of the Bahrain Grand Prix

Motorsport's world governing body, the FIA, has returned the Bahrain Grand Prix to the 2011 Formula 1 race calendar after originally calling it off in February because of pro-democracy protests in which more than 20 people died.

Originally due to be held on 13 March, it will now take place on 30 October - pushing the Indian Grand Prix back to December.

Here is reaction to the controversial decision announced on Friday.

MARTIN BRUNDLE - BBC F1 COMMENTATOR

"Read copiously both sides of Bahrain story. Talked to friends and associates who live there. Thought long and hard about it. Mistake to reinstate Grand Prix," he said on Twitter.

"GP date changes bad especially for fans planning [to attend the] India Grand Prix, costs and time off [work]. Racing til Christmas, develop and test new car, 21 races in 2012. Too much."

ZAYED RASHID AL ZAYANI - BAHRAIN INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT CHAIR

"Our Grand Prix is an event that transcends politics. We are there to unify the nation.

"Definitely the support that we have received so far from all people involved in this process has been positive, including the opposition. Dialogue, I think, is the only way to reconcile what has happened, and the start of this dialogue is the first step towards reaching a conclusion and a reconciliation.

"As a country we have faced a difficult time but stability has returned, with businesses operating close to normal and countries removing travel restrictions."

NABEEL RAJAB - BAHRAIN CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS PRESIDENT

"It's a very sad moment. It seems that their [Formula 1 organisers] benefit and their interest has more importance than the human rights of people in this part of the region.

"It's very upsetting, and the people are very upset.

"Already they have called the day of that racing 'a day of rage', where they're going to come out everywhere, in every city of Bahrain, to show anger to what the Bahrain government, the Bahrain regime, is doing towards their own people."

JONATHAN LEGARD - BBC SPORT

"The teams won't be happy - but [Formula 1 commercial rights holder] Bernie Ecclestone is the man who pays their bills, and they get the money from television all the revenues he produces for the sport, and the sponsorship.

"So they will go along. But they made their feelings known to Ecclestone at the last race in Monaco when a date was proposed for December, and they were saying it was unacceptable. It is going to be a long old season.

"You are risking running into another storm of civil unrest. Martial law has only been lifted a couple of days ago, so there is a big risk - and you wonder what Formula 1 is gaining.

"There is a contractual agreement between Bernie Ecclestone and the owners of the Bahrain circuit - but given the civil unrest, you would have thought it was force majeure [a superior force]. It remains to be seen how far advanced India are with their circuit design. There may be 20 races back on the calendar now, but let's see if India are ready by 4 or 11 December."

SIR JACKIE STEWART - FORMER FORMULA 1 WORLD CHAMPION

"I'm pleased. Sport is a very good equaliser in the case of unrest, because sport somehow unifies people. An F1 race going there hopefully might help to do that.

"I think Bahrain is one country particularly keen to accelerate the issue of democracy. It's a small country, and therefore has a better chance of doing so. And that may well be a good example to other countries in the Middle East.

"Having a Grand Prix there might be of benefit to the rest of the world recognising that there is movement taking place. Because if we just sit back and stop things from progressing, I don't think that's the right thing either."

JOHN WATSON - FORMER FORMULA 1 DRIVER

"I was surprised at the unanimous vote to give a green light for a new date. I'm equally surprised by the deafening silence of all the teams in not making any public comment about that judgement.

"But I suspect what's really going on is that all the teams, and maybe the FIA, are waiting for their individual governments to put out an official warning to recommend that it is not safe to travel to Bahrain. That would therefore automatically cancel the commercial insurances that they have to carry for their personnel - and if they're cancelled then there isn't going to be race. But it's a clumsy way of doing it.

"I do not believe, if the problems in Bahrain maintain [at this level] or escalate, that we will see a Bahrain Grand Prix this year."