We grabbed clothes, diapers, water, baby formula and family photos and sought refuge in a hotel about 30 miles away that quickly filled up with other runaways.
The Briton had been advised not to travel to this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix, with Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone saying the Bahraini royal family "would not like" his attendance in the Kingdom.
If reports prove true of objections by the Ecclestone family trust, which controls commercial rights to Formula One, the whole deal could yet be called off.