- The Bahrain Grand Prix appears to be on track for a Sunday start
- An opposition group is calling on protesters to take to the streets
- The group wants protesters to march toward the Bahrain Grand Prix circuit
- Bahrain and Formula 1 say the race will run as scheduled
(CNN) -- The opposition called on protesters Sunday to take to the streets leading to the Bahrain Grand Prix circuit, raising fears that the civil unrest in the Gulf kingdom could upend the race and pose a threat to Formula 1 crews, workers and fans.
Demonstrations have escalated in the days leading up to the Bahrain Grand Prix, with anti-government protesters calling the race a publicity stunt by the country's rulers to make the nation appear more unified.
The Bahrain Grand Prix was canceled twice last year amid an uprising sparked by the success of popular revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia. The Sunni-ruled government brutally crushed the Shiite uprising, though the opposition has continued to protest and, occasionally, clash with authorities over demands for political reform.
The February 14 Youth Coalition, an opposition group that took its name from the date of the initial Bahrain uprising, took to social media to call on protesters to take to the streets Sunday during the race.
"We ask the rebels in the western villages to escalate the revolutionary mobilization to the highest levels and to continue to target the street leading to the Bahrain circuit," the group said on its Facebook page.
Heavy security present for Bahrain race 
Protests ahead of Grand Prix in Bahrain 
Incident 'destabilized' Force India team Bahrain Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa has said that another race cancellation plays into extremists' hands, according to the state-run Bahrain News Agency. And the sport's governing body vowed the event will go on, despite continuing high tensions.
On the eve of the race, security forces clashed with thousands of protesters in a suburb of Manama who were attempting to march to the highway that leads to the Formula 1 circuit.
At least three people were injured during clashes, Mohammed al Muscati of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights said Sunday.
The demonstration was in response to the death of a protester whose body was found early Saturday on a farm outside Manama, a day after he took part in a demonstration that was broken up by security forces, according to opposition groups.
Bahrain's leading opposition party Al-Wefaq and the Bahrain Youth Society identified the man as Salah Abbas Habib Musa. The Bahrain Interior Ministry confirmed the identity of the 36-year-old man, and said the case is under investigation.
On Saturday, British Foreign Secretary William Hague urged Bahrain to use "restraint in dealing with protests, including during the Formula 1 race," according to Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
During the conversation with Bahrain Foreign Minister Sheik Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed al-Khalifa, Hague also urged Bahrain to make progress in implementing political reforms," according to the Commonwealth Office.
On patrol with Bahrain's riot police 
Violent clashes ahead of Bahrain race 
Bahrain's human rights problem Authorities manned check points early Sunday on Manama streets and near the race circuit ahead of the start of the Grand Prix.
Formula 1 is the world's most popular motor sport, and races have a TV audience of more than 500 million. When Bahrain canceled the race last year, it lost an estimated $480 million to $800 million of investment that would have come from hosting it.
The Bahraini government has played down any risk to visitors, saying that the Grand Prix would act as a unifying force amid the nation's civil unrest.
Bahrain has declined to extend the visas of nonsports reporting crews from CNN, Reuters and other news agencies and told them they would not be allowed to stay for the race.
Protesters, meanwhile, are using the international spotlight on the Grand Prix to call for the release of Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, a member of the opposition who has been on a hunger strike for more than two months. He was arrested about a year ago.
Al-Khawaja is protesting the life sentence he received for his role in anti-government demonstrations.
Denmark's ambassador was scheduled to meet Sunday with al-Khawaja, who once lived in the country and holds Danish citizenship. The Danish government has asked that Bahrain turn him over; Bahraini officials have refused.
Al-Khawaja can appeal his life sentence during a hearing Monday, the government has said.
CNN's Fred Pleitgen, Salma Abdelaziz and Becky Anderson contributed to this report.
