At least 5,000 demonstrators gathered close to Manama, the capital of Bahrain, on Friday (April 20) as a three-day Grand Prix got underway in a country that has been convulsed by more than a year of pro-democracy protests.

The protesters - from the majority Shi'ite community - assembled in the Budaiya area near Manama. They say they feel sidelined by a Sunni-controlled ruling elite, and have made it clear they want to use the world's focus on the glitzy Formula One event to air their grievances.

Protesters said they felt the Grand Prix was ill-timed.

The government hopes the race will show the world Bahrain is getting back to normal after last year's Grand Prix was cancelled due to street unrest and has said it does not intend to cancel the race at this late stage.