Bernie Ecclestone has a habit for maladroitness that has become more noticeable as each of his 82 years has passed. But he sounded alarm bells here when he seemingly called the Bahrain government “stupid” for staging a grand prix because of the opportunities it presented to pro-democracy protesters.

It was another race and another gaffe for Formula One‘s supremo, who once said Adolf Hitler got things done and who on Friday had suggested everything was OK in Bahrain but that, no, he wouldn’t be staging a race in Syria. The 82-year-old was again due to meet with opposition leaders for talks later.

Sensitivity is acute in these parts following the controversial decision to bring F1 back to the small gulf kingdom so soon after deaths in the 2011 protests. In fact, Ecclestone, who has this week been extremely positive towards a race that continues to attract negative press, was trying to make a tongue-in-cheek remark and apparently it just came out wrong. What he actually said to BBC Sport’s Dan Roan, who had asked him if the race had been politicised, was: “We believe the government were in a way really stupid to put this race on [because] it’s a platform for people to use for protesting.”

Ecclestone added: “It [the race] is good. I don’t think it’s for us to decide the politics, good or bad. It’s a good circuit, a good race, and we think everybody’s happy so we’re here.”

When his comments were later repeated in the paddock the country’s crown prince laughed them off: “It’s Bernie being Bernie,” said Prince Salman bin Hamad Isa al-Khalifa on his visit to the track. “I love Bernie and his quotes. I think it’s funny. I have a sense of humour. People will know he’s being sarcastic. I think it’s funny, and I can’t be thankful enough for his support.”

Last year’s race was a public relations disaster for both F1 and the Bahrain government with the race taking place against a background of protest and repression. This year security at the race and in the capital, Manama, is tighter but even as Ecclestone and the crown prince were speaking there were unconfirmed reports of violence being meted out to protesters. Bernie may have been right after all.