Malaysian GP to Go Ahead Despite War

The organisers of this weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix have decided to allow the race to go ahead despite the start of war in Iraq, Formula One's governing body, the FIA, confirmed today.

Rumours of a race cancellation developed because of concerns over the political correctness of racing in a significantly Muslim country when there is currently a war in another Muslim state.

Fears that the race could be a target for terrorist action because of its status as a major worldwide sporting event led the organisers to meet to discuss their plan of action. But the race will go ahead and FIA president Max Mosley, who chose to stay in London this weekend, said: "Formula One is a genuinely international sport welcomed by a wide range of cultures across the world.

"Our sport has nothing whatever to do with the conflict in Iraq and the FIA fully supports the local organisers of the Malaysian Grand Prix in running this event in the usual way."

Troops began attacking Iraq in the early hours of Thursday morning. Most drivers, while proclaiming their discontent over the military action, insisted they do not currently fear for their safety. A spokesman for the FIA also confirmed that president Max Mosley's failure to attend the Malaysian race, the second time he has cancelled travel plans at short notice, was not down to concerns over the war.

"There is nothing unusual about it," he said. "The reason was simply that an event with some senior politicians that he was going to attend was cancelled and he decided his presence at the race would simply distract from the racing."

The FIA set a precedent when they gave the Italian Grand Prix the go ahead four days after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York in 2001 and continued their defiance at the United States Grand Prix two weeks later.