While Formula 1 teams are all going ahead with plans to compete in this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix, one of the team's for the supporting Porsche Supercup race there has pulled out, citing security concerns amid ongoing unrest in the region.
The Supercup will race in Bahrain as part of the Formula 1 undercard, but the MRS team has opted to forego the round – the first time in the team's history it has cancelled a Supercup round.
"Ongoing unrests in the Kingdom of Bahrain in connection with the security situation have caused doubts by the team from Lonsee," the team said in a statement.
Team chief Karsten Molitor said concern for the safety of his employees had forced the decision to withdraw.
"It is the first time in our team history that we have had to cancel a race of the Porsche Supercup," Molitor said. "In the end we have the responsibility for our employees.
"The race in Bahrain is for us one of the season highlights, therefore it was not an easy to come to a decision. We have reached the conclusion to start only at the second race in Barcelona."
The Porsche Supercup will compete on the F1 undercard at all eight of the European grands prix in 2012.