( CNN ) -- Bahrain 's Formula One organizers insist that the Gulf state 's grand prix race will go ahead as planned in April , despite recent fears that its political situation has not improved . A group of British peers appealed for the race to be called off in an open letter to The Times newspaper last week , saying that the same problems of social instability prevail as when last year 's event was called off . However , a spokesman for the Bahrain International Circuit ( BIC ) insisted on Tuesday -- the anniversary of the `` Day of Rage '' protests against the ruling monarchy -- that the April 22 event will take place . `` The calendar was confirmed for 2012 at the end of last year and Bahrain has a place on that calendar , '' the spokesman told CNN under condition of anonymity . He said motorsport 's governing body , the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile ( FIA ) , had been in regular contact with the BIC . `` We are entirely confident that the race can be and will be an excellent event . The FIA has been taking the situation seriously for a long time , '' he said . `` Jean Todt ( FIA president ) has been visiting Bahrain himself , keeping in constant contact . The FIA has said that there is no reason why the grand prix should not go ahead . '' The spokesman said although there had been continuing problems in Bahrain over the past 12 months , the riots in the main city of Manama were smaller than those which took place in Britain 's capital London last August . `` When I was out there two or three weeks ago it was very quiet ... There is no doubt that there have been some protests , '' he said . `` There 's no doubt that there have been some small riots , nothing like on the scale that we saw in London . There have been some public order disturbances , but on the kind of scale that Britain has endured many times . '' Bahrain is scheduled to be the fourth race in the 2012 F1 season , which starts on March 18 with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne . The spokesman said the BIC is `` absolutely confident '' that the Bahrain circuit will be safe for the drivers and teams . `` When it comes to being in and around the track , the drivers and the teams will be extremely safe . Absolutely , totally confident about that . ''
A Bahrain International Circuit spokesman tells CNN that Bahrain 's F1 race will go ahead . The 2011 Bahrain Grand Prix was canceled due to civil unrest in the Gulf state . Violence against the Gulf state 's government began one year ago on February 14 . The BIC is confident the venue will be safe for the race , scheduled for April 21st .