Swiss Formula 1 team Sauber have encountered a group of "masked men" while travelling home in Bahrain.

The team released a statement today confirming that they had come across slow traffic because of a fire on the road back to their hotel.

The statement read: "The team members saw a few masked people running from there over to their lane where a bottle was burning as well.

"The minibus moved to the very right side of the highway and went passed the situation.

"No-one from the Sauber F1 Team was hurt."

Fellow F1 team Force India decided not to take part in second practice at all this afternoon in order to return to their hotel in daylight after they got caught near a petrol bomb.

Sauber have begun this year's world championship in encouraging form and lie fourth in the constructors' championship.