Routine day for teams in Bahrain

The Bahrain Grand Prix paddock, with palms and cushioned seats, appeared an oasis of calm on Thursday as Formula One teams went through their routines in a bubble far from violent clashes elsewhere on the island.

Drivers gave their usual media briefings and appeared in news conferences while mechanics worked on cars in the garages and prepared for Friday's free practice, the first at the Sakhir track since 2010.

The questions were mostly limited to Sunday's race, the drivers' prospects and technical concerns despite two members of the Force India team deciding to go home after a petrol bomb landed on the highway as colleagues were driving back to their hotel on Wednesday evening.

"I heard about the Force India issue. Yeah. I mean...I think generally being in the paddock it seems to be no problem," Red Bull's double world champion Sebastian Vettel said. "Outside of the paddock maybe there is a risk but I think there is a risk everywhere we go.

"I think it's not a big problem and I think I'm happy once we start testing tomorrow because then we worry about the stuff that really matters - tyre temperatures, cars," added the 24-year-old German.

The Force India drivers were more prepared to discuss events after team bosses had met local organisers and police to talk about security measures. "It is obviously not right that sort of stuff happens," said Germany's Nico Hulkenberg.

"We are here to race. The F1 business is about entertainment, and these sort of things should not really be happening to us. Whether it is right or not, I don't really know. I am not a politician, I am a Formula One driver.”