Decision: Ecclestone with Bahrain's crown prince Shaikh Salman Bin Hamad Al ... - SkySports

Bernie Ecclestone expressed his hope on Thursday that the Bahrain Grand Prix could be staged towards the end of the year.

The race, which was supposed to have opened the new Formula One season on March 13, was cancelled last week because of anti-government protests in the Gulf state.

Although Ecclestone, who controls F1's commercial rights, said Bahrain organisers could forfeit the £25million fee they would normally pay for the race, he also expressed the hope the calendar could be altered to reschedule it.

Two possibilities were mentioned: that it might follow the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the end of November, with Ecclestone also suggesting the race could be held in August.

He now appears to have cooled on the idea of a desert race being staged in the middle of summer, and told the BBC that holding it towards the end of the season was the most likely outcome.

Meeting

The FIA's World Motorsport Council meets next Tuesday, when it is expected a final decision will be taken.

"I'm hoping beyond hope things settle peacefully and we find a slot later in the year," Ecclestone said.

"If there is peace in Bahrain then we will be there, we will find a way.

"We will have a look and see what we can do, how we can swap things around a bit. Maybe we can change it with Brazil, or something like that.

"But forget August. It's too hot for the public to sit in the grandstand at 40-odd degrees (Celsius)."

Assuming the Bahrain Grand Prix is rescheduled a week after the Abu Dhabi race - which is currently pencilled in for November 13 - then the season-ending race in Brazil will most likely have to move back a week as well.

Asked whether there would be a rescheduled race this year, Ecclestone replied: "Yes, you never see anything about Bahrain on TV now".

The Formula One season now starts with the Australian Grand Prix on March 27.