Formula One championship's season-opening race in Bahrain next month has been put in doubt as the GP2 Asia Series race at the same circuit was cancelled on Thursday.

The GP2 race slated for Friday and Saturday was called off at the request of the Bahrain Motorsport Federation amid anti-government protests that left four dead overnight.

F1 workers should be in the country 10 days before the Bahrain Grand Prix, which was scheduled for March 13, and F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone said he will wait until next week to decide whether to go ahead with the race.

"We'll have to keep our eye on things and make a decision quickly," Ecclestone said. "I spoke to the crown prince (Sheik Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa) this morning. He doesn't know any more than you or I, but they're monitoring exactly what is going on."

"Next week we will make a decision on what we are going to do," Ecclestoine added.