Former Bahraini politician Jasim Husain has warned that there may be casualties at this weekend's Bahrain GP.
Clashes between protesters and the police are occurring on a daily basis in the Asian country and there are concerns that demonstrators may attempt to use the Formula 1 event as a platform for global attention.
Economist Husain, who stepped down from his position with the Al-Wefaq group last year, is hoping that sport and politics can be kept separate.
He said: "The fear is there that we could see some casualties. So it's now a challenge for the security forces who have to handle things properly. They should avoid using force.
"F1 is a sport, an economic positive, and I hope neither side will see the race as a political tool.
"We do have political issues which have to be addressed, and F1 coming or not coming does not mean those problems will go away.
"But certainly this is not a political event and should not have political implications."
Protesters carried anti-F1 banners earlier this week.
Robert Summerscales
