The organisers of the concert series, Enterprise Entertainment, originally wanted to launch the 2011 programme in tandem with the first Formula One Grand Prix of the season in Bahrain, but those plans stalled because of unrest in the island state.

Enterprise Entertainment chairman Robert Montague said that in previous years F1 Rocks has appeared in the middle or at the end of the racing season.

This time around he said, "We felt it was important that we were there from ...