146 replies to this topic

[slmk]

Seeing as FP1 starts in less than 4 days, I guess it makes sense to start a thread about the Bahrain GP.

 

Talking points:

• Mercedes to dominate again?
• All Mercedes-engined teams to rise up?
• Is Ferrari right in thinking that it will beat RBR this weekend?
• Duels: Williams vs. McLaren part 2 // Bottas vs Massa part 2 // Rosberg vs Hamilton part 2 // etc.
• Will we reach similar top speeds to testing? Top speeds haven't been necessarily high so far this season (mid 310s in AUS, low 320s in MAL) but that might be due to track characteristics
• Are any teams going to be in trouble regarding fuel consumption (looking at RBR in this instance)?
• Given that we will finally get a dry qualifying, how far ahead will Mercedes qualify from the rest?

Edited by slmk, 31 March 2014 - 21:12.

[Markn93]

Love back to back weeks 

 

Going to be tough between China and Spain. 

[Kingshark]

Since Singapore 2008 was the 800th race of history, unless my maths escapes me, the 2014 Bahrain GP will be the 900th race in Formula 1 history!   

[scheivlak]

 

• Will we reach similar top speeds to testing? Top speeds haven't been necessarily high so far this season (mid 310s in AUS, low 320s in MAL) but that might be due to track characteristics

That was still clearly faster than we saw in previous years at those tracks. Top speed at testing in Bahrain was 336 km/h, 22km/h faster than last year - will we see that again? Or was that e.g. some kind of a gearing test?

[Zoetrope]

That was still clearly faster than we saw in previous years at those tracks. Top speed at testing in Bahrain was 336 km/h, 22km/h faster than last year - will we see that again? Or was that e.g. some kind of a gearing test?

This is actually interesting.

This is how the speed trap was ranging throughout the grid excluding early retired cars.
Australia 2013 299-310 kmh
Australia 2014 297-306 kmh with two exceptions Bottas 312 kmh, Magnussen 316.9 kmh

Malaysia 2013 300-308 kmh
Malaysia 2014 295-312 kmh with two exceptions Bottas 320 kmh, Massa 324 kmh

[ATM]

 

 

• Are any teams going to be in trouble regarding fuel consumption (looking at RBR in this instance)?

This probably the only thing I can make an assumption: yes. Malaysia and Australia did not bear such issues (due to track concept and safety-car respectively) - but in Bahrein, I think they will have to give a more important time to this fuel management, 

 

As for all the other items, the hell if I have any idea. At the rate some teams  have developed between Australia and Malaysia (RBR, Ferrari, Force India), I'll just shut up and wait for the enlightenment on Sunday. 

[Crikeyf1]

This circuit will be Merc heaven, low speed traction corners and 4 long straights...

[Exb]

This track gets some bad press for dull races but I thought it was a good race last year and I am looking forward to seeing how it looks under the floodlights.
Times for this weekend:

Fri 04 April 2014 (local time / UK time(BST)
Practice 1 14:00 - 15:30 / 12.00 - 13.30
Practice 2 18:00 - 19:30 / 16.00 - 17.30
Sat 05 April 2014
Practice 3 15:00 - 16:00 / 13.00 - 14.00
Qualifying 18:00 / 16.00
Sun 06 April 2014
Race 18:00 / 16.00
,
TV coverage - all sessions live on Sky / Highlights on BBC 2 at 21.00 (qualifying) 22.00 (race)

Build-up pictures: https://twitter.com/BAH_Int_Circuit
(Lots of photos of the preparations posted on the Bahrain Circuits twitter account)

Race Information:
Tyres are Medium and Soft. May play a part in race strategy as temperatures expected to fall by up to 15 degrees during the race so the teams need to plan for that.
2 DRS zone like last year. Circuit info can be found here: http://www.formula1....it_diagram.html

A couple of reserve drivers taking to the track in FP1. Van der Garde at Sauber and Nasr in the Williams.

[SlickMick]

Until RB find their mojo, the massive awe inspiring excitement from last week can be expected to continue.

The one redeeming feature, I was hoping, was inter-team battles - I've now more or less given up on these too.

Miserable Mick

[jonpollak]

Fear not MiserableSlick..there's bound to be an Arabic weather girl or two being posted.

Jp

[santababy]

There were protests the previous years, tighter security.
This year seems quiet so far, no?

[SlickMick]

Fear not MiserableSlick..there's bound to be an Arabic weather girl or two being posted.

Jp

I await with bated breath JP, DESPITE the last one you posted needing to be surgically hacked from my memory. 

[KingTiger]

Another Mercedes 1-2 would be welcomed. 

[Kristian]

One of the most interesting elements of this race, the extreme heat, has now been taken away. The circuit will look as dull as ditchwater under floodlights too - honestly, it will look like a lit up car park at night. 

 

Saying that, there is usually decent overtaking, and with lots of data from winter testing maybe the teams will be less cautious. Hopefully the season will kick-start now. 

[Tosh]

Expecting total Merc domination.

[PayasYouRace]

I forgot it was a night race. So I guess here it just means that instead of a endless sea of brown the scenery will be an endless sea of black.

 

I doubt there'll be much change in the pecking order since Malaysia. Looking forward to how Williams can do with a dry qualifying. Can DR get his first points for RB?

 

I thought this year we were putting a bit more effort into the OPs.

[Thomas99]

With Ricciardo having that grid penalty he's going to start 13th-14th and once again mask the Red Bull internal battle. We still havn't had a clean race one of them didn't have problems to see comparative pace.

 

This is a track he was traditionally quick at too, starting 6th in the Toro Rosso. 

[Thomas99]

Expecting total Merc domination.

 

Yeah thats what it will be for a few more races. I will say Red Bull will be able to fight with them by race 7. A homage to 2009. 

[Thomas99]

This is actually interesting.

This is how the speed trap was ranging throughout the grid excluding early retired cars.
Australia 2013 299-310 kmh
Australia 2014 297-306 kmh with two exceptions Bottas 312 kmh, Magnussen 316.9 kmh

Malaysia 2013 300-308 kmh
Malaysia 2014 295-312 kmh with two exceptions Bottas 320 kmh, Massa 324 kmh

 

Williams are running a very low drag car. Thats why they suffer in the rain. They have topped trap speeds all season long.

[Zoetrope]

Lewis in thebest car 
Dry qualifying   
Ricciardo starting from midfield and his possible comeback   
Night race for the first time   
Massa vs. Bottas after team orders  
K-Mag vs. Button - can K-Mag outqualify him again?   
Hamilton vs. Rosberg after heavy spanking from Lewis last time  
Alonso vs. Kimi saga continues   
Hopefully Lotus getting their act together   
Hopefully improved reliability and higher tendency to risk turning up the engines with each coming Grand Prix   

And generally Bahrain has provided good racing last couple of years 

[sportyskells]

make that 3 test drivers, Frijns in the Caterham to join the other two testers this Friday

[ZionLH]

Lewis in thebest car 
Dry qualifying   
Ricciardo starting from midfield and his possible comeback   
Night race for the first time   
Massa vs. Bottas after team orders  
K-Mag vs. Button - can K-Mag outqualify him again?   
Hamilton vs. Rosberg after heavy spanking from Lewis last time  
Alonso vs. Kimi saga continues   
Hopefully Lotus getting their act together   
Hopefully improved reliability and higher tendency to risk turning up the engines with each coming Grand Prix   

And generally Bahrain has provided good racing last couple of years 

 

Basically this, some of the statements about certain cars excelling and not excelling around this track are going to be interesting aswell could shake up the order behind the mercs. This will have the first dry qualyfing of the year also as there has been a pattern for some driver pairings in the wet.

[SpartanChas]

So this will be raced under artificial light, yes?

[ReeVe]

So this will be raced under artificial light, yes?

 

the race starts at 6pm local time ... sunset officially is at 5:55 pm so ... yes

[Mart280]

I''m keen to see what Williams can do in a dry qualifying session, hopefully get both cars in the top 6 would be nice.

[Clatter]

With Ricciardo having that grid penalty he's going to start 13th-14th and once again mask the Red Bull internal battle. We still havn't had a clean race one of them didn't have problems to see comparative pace.

 

This is a track he was traditionally quick at too, starting 6th in the Toro Rosso. 

Traditionally quick?

 

You have a strange concept of what traditionally means, but as he started 13th and finished 16th last year it could be said he is traditionally slow there.

[KTownDevil]

Nicola Pohl‏@NicolaBILD

Welcome to Bahrain 2014! They just kicked me out of the hotel gym. 'Sorry, just for gents!' #moderntimes

https://twitter.com/...034115543171073

[F1ultimate]

Expecting total Merc domination.

 

I can't see any other outcome.

 

They clocked most laps in Bahrain.

They've won the latest two GP with a big time cushion. 

They have got two of the best qualifiers on the grid who are capable of locking out the front row.

 

Bahrain is in the bag, and Merc's only enemy is the evil god of reliability. 

[AlexS]

 

Is Ferrari right in thinking that it will beat RBR this weekend?

Ferrari doesn't think that.

 

They will be lucky to repeat the 4th place of Alonso.

 

Bahrain is a bad track for current Ferrari woes: no traction, no top speed in a track with low speed corners and long straights.

 

They are in risk of behing behind all Mercedes engines and Red Bull at least.

[MortenF1]

Is that the general consensus, that we'll have the top three Mercedes-engined teams plus Hülkenberg and Vettel ahead of the Ferrari's? 

I don't believe that. I think Alonso could well qualify fourth again. This will be the first time we'll see what the Williamses are really capable of though.

[F1ultimate]

This will be the first time we'll see what the Williamses are really capable of though.

 

Yeah. Hopefully that should bring to an end all the "We should have been on the podium" statements. 

[bernardoBR]

Since Singapore 2008 was the 800th race of history, unless my maths escapes me, the 2014 Bahrain GP will be the 900th race in Formula 1 history!   

 

Sorry for the OT, but Barrichello, with 322 GP starts, ran 35,77% of ALL GP´s - impressive -  only 3,4% were wins (11) - not impressive

Edited by bernardoBR, 01 April 2014 - 21:32.

[HeadFirst]

A turnabout is said to be fair play, so from the Williams pits to Bottas ...... "Felipe is fatter than you, please acknowledge."

[Atreiu]

I hope the dry qualifying suits Williams and the cool conditions suit McLaren.

 

But it still looks like a Mercedes 1-2 anyhow.

[Kingshark]

Sorry for the OT, but Barrichello, with 322 GP starts, ran 35,77% of ALL GP´s - impressive -  only 3,4% were wins (11) - not impressive

 

Ferrari has participated in 872 of the total of 900 races (96.89%) and won 221 (24.56%). Pretty impressive in its own right.

[g1n]

 

Nicola Pohl‏@NicolaBILD

Welcome to Bahrain 2014! They just kicked me out of the hotel gym. 'Sorry, just for gents!' #moderntimes

https://twitter.com/...034115543171073

 

ah that religion cracks me up, I wonder if they ban women from attending public stoning as well?

Edited by g1n, 01 April 2014 - 23:33.

[stanga]

45]
Nicola Pohl‏@NicolaBILD

Welcome to Bahrain 2014! They just kicked me out of the hotel gym. 'Sorry, just for gents!' #moderntimes
https://twitter.com/...034115543171073

Welcome to civilisation.

[BillBald]

ah that religion cracks me up, I wonder if they ban women from attending public stoning as well?

 

Well, I'm guessing a woman is allowed to attend her own public stoning.

[TomNokoe]

Doesn't particularly look like a hot one. Temperatures in the mid to low 20s °C. Similar temperatures to testing I believe, so who knows we may finally beat the 2013 time with a Mercedes at full beans.

[slideways]

Quali and race start now 2am AEDT for Aussies.

But hey, the europeans to get to watch it in the late afternoon, instead of early afternoon and the Bahrainis get to blow some oil money on floodlighting a desert. :/

[lbennie]

Quali and race start now 2am AEDT for Aussies.

But hey, the europeans to get to watch it in the late afternoon, instead of early afternoon and the Bahrainis get to blow some oil money on floodlighting a desert. :/

 

And you guys call us whinging poms 

[travbrad]

Quali and race start now 2am AEDT for Aussies.

But hey, the europeans to get to watch it in the late afternoon, instead of early afternoon and the Bahrainis get to blow some oil money on floodlighting a desert. :/

 

Yeah it's a good thing Formula 1 is saving so much energy with these new engines.  Meanwhile they send cargo planes full of stuff across the world and light tracks with hundreds of lightbulbs so that the viewing hours are slightly more convenient for some people.

[DanardiF1]

Williams are running a very low drag car. Thats why they suffer in the rain. They have topped trap speeds all season long.

 

And if the FOM on-screen fuel readings are any cop, they're nice and frugal on the petrol too... I think they could afford to strap on a little bit more downforce, but as they stand they'll kick arse at Monza!

[Kristian]

Sorry for the OT, but Barrichello, with 322 GP starts, ran 35,77% of ALL GP´s - impressive -  only 3,4% were wins (11) - not impressive

 

And Michael Schumacher won 10.1% of all races ever held so far. That's scarily impressive. 

[darkkis]

I'm pretty sure Williams are going to be strong here! They have good braking and low drag. Fits the stop & go nature of the track.

[jjcale]

Ferrari has participated in 872 of the total of 900 races (96.89%) and won 221 (24.56%). Pretty impressive in its own right.

 

So does this mean that when he retired the first time MSC had the majority of Ferrari's wins .... cause if so that would be impressive.

[Arska]

So does this mean that when he retired the first time MSC had the majority of Ferrari's wins .... cause if so that would be impressive.

 

He had 72/192 of Ferrari's wins at that time so not over 50%.

[byrkus]

He won 19 of the 91 in Benetton, and other 72 in Ferrari. When he retired -for the first time, in 2006, he had (at Ferrari) 72 wins, while at the same time Ferrari had 192. But still, more than just impressive.

[Jon83]

I'm hoping for rain.

[michal2009b]

Looking forward for a night race at a late start time I am not the biggest fan of the Sakhir track, but the first sector has two good overtaking spots so at least some parts of the track are interesting.