Hundreds of people signed an online petition set up to support the staging of this year's Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, within hours of its launch.

The Bring Back Bahrain Formula 1 GP appeal was set up on Twitter yesterday by a user known as mShareeda.

It garnered almost 500 signatures within its first four hours.

In a message posted on the page, the creator described the Grand Prix as a key part of Bahrain's history.

They said the country's economy had improved and its name was now known around the world as a result of hosting the high-profile event.

Citing the boost in revenue the F1 race brings to hotels, malls, taxi drivers, restaurants, industrial projects, banks and airlines, mShareeda also declared it a boost to Bahrain's people of all religions and races.

'Everybody in the kingdom gets a share of it,' read the tweet, before claiming that the only reason people would not want to see the race going ahead would be to harm the country.

The user concluded the message by urging all those who love and want to heal Bahrain to sign the petition.

The Twitition, as Twitter pages of its kind are known, is open to any user of the site and available at https://twitition.com/fghkk.

This year's Bahrain race was set to take place last month, but was called off following the outbreak of political unrest in February.

Organisers and the Bahrain Motor Federation have been given until Sunday to declare whether or not the race can be hosted at a later date in the season.

It will then be up to the International Automobile Federation and Formula One management to make a final decision.

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone previously suggested a new date for the Bahrain race would likely be towards the end of the season.

Brazil is scheduled to end the world championship on November 27, after the penultimate race in Abu Dhabi on November 13.-TradeArabia News Service