Feb.18 (GMM) F1 might simply stay in Barcelona if the final pre-season test scheduled to take place in troubled Bahrain early next month is called off.

After testing between Friday and Monday at the Circuit de Catalunya in the coming days, formula one had intended to conclude its pre-season programme in Bahrain a week before the championship opener in the island Kingdom.

But with cancellation of 2011's first of 20 scheduled rounds now looking likely, the teams will not want to forgo the four days of testing scheduled in Bahrain for March 3-6.

"FOTA has asked us what dates we have available at the prospect of being unable to go to the last test, but there is no formal request yet," Vicenc Aguilera, the new president of the Circuit de Catalunya consortium, is quoted by El Pais newspaper.

Aguilera said the Montmelo venue is booked on some of the days between the end of this week's test and early March.

"But if F1 asks us something, we will do our best to please," he insisted.

The F1 teams association FOTA will meet in Barcelona on Friday, as the four days of scheduled pre-season testing begins.

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