Poll: Bahrain Grand Prix 2019, Sakhir - Race 2/21

[Shimmy]

Sakhir

When was the track built?
Ground was broken for the Bahrain International Circuit in December 2002. Like the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, the developers had a blank, sandy canvas to work with, and with that fashioned the technical, 5.4km track designed by Hermann Tilke.

When was its first Grand Prix?
It was 2004 when the drivers first lined up under an unusually cloudy sky for the inaugural Bahrain Grand Prix. The race was dominated (like many in 2004) by the two Ferraris, with Michael Schumacher winning out from Rubens Barrichello, while the crowds were also treated to a fantastic dog-fight between the Jaguar of Mark Webber and the Renault of Fernando Alonso.

What’s the circuit like?
You can usually expect great racing and decent amounts of overtaking in Bahrain, while the drivers have to contend with wind, racing under floodlights and the difficulty of finding a decent set-up with the wide temperature fluctuations between sessions. The track’s most challenging point is the tight, downhill, off-camber Turn 10 left-hander, while the fast run through Turn 12 is another highlight, allowing the racers to really feel their cars coming alive.

Why go?
Given the nature of the track, race-goers in Bahrain have always got a decent chance of being treated to a 'duel in the desert' or three. Away from the race track, Bahrain, as you might expect, is a great place to catch some rays, with the 33-island archipelago kingdom featuring some jaw-dropping resorts. And if you want to do some racing yourself, the Bahrain International Karting Circuit, located right next to the track, is one of the world’s top karting facilities.

Where is the best place to watch?
Your options are slightly limited in Bahrain, given that the organisers understandably don’t want loads of fans having to traipse out into the middle of a hot desert to watch the action! We reckon your best bet is to get a place in the Batelco grandstand, giving you a great view of cars charging into Turn 8, hammering through 9 and 10 and then passing you on the run down to the short-apex Turn 11.

TV Times
Sky:


C4:
Saturday: 7pm Qualifying Highlights
Sunday: 9pm Race Highlights


Track Diagram & Information



Weather Forecast


2018 Race Edit
https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2018/4/HIGHLIGHTS__2018_Bahrain_Grand_Prix.html


Practice 1



Practice 2



Practice 3



Qualifying



Race

 

[The_Abyss]

Looking forward to this one. We should hopefully see a bit more of the genuine pace of the teams.

Cheers Shimmy.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

I wonder whether Mercedes will finish a minute ahead again...and whether Red Bull beat Ferrari. Should be interesting.

 

[drunkenmaster]

I think this season could be an unintentionally large Mercedes win again. I get the feeling Red Bull have improved via engine and potentially consistency and if they have done what we could see is them being fast enough to take a bunch of points off Ferrari, but not fast enough to take a lot off Mercedes.

That is in recent years the tracks Ferrari are strongest vs Mercedes, say Monaco, Singapore(all but last season), Mexico, hungary and others are generally tracks RBR is also strong but just haven't been strong enough. So if RBR now compete better in the races Ferrari were taking their most points it might extend the gap between Merc and Ferrari as RBR take more points off Ferrari than they take off Merc.

We'll see but I have had a feeling that could be the result of RBR improving for some time.

 

[markoboyo11]

Rbr taking points off Ferrari?

Rbr will smoke Ferrari this year......if gasly gets his act together.
And Vettel will quit ferrari after leclerc gives him too much pressure.

You heard it here first.


Rbr always have an excellent rate of progression throughout the season, I think by the end of the season they will be edging closer to merc and away from Ferrari.

 

[Deleted member 651465]

I'm expecting a Ferrari win, Merc close behind and RB about 5 seconds down the road in 3rd.

Praying for an exciting race but expecting a borefest.

 

[SS-89]

I think anyone basing the pecking order off the back of Melbourne is a tad naive. Will take a few races to bottom out where everyone stands. Regardless, hoping for a much better race than Melbourne which was dire.

 

[JBeck]

I think this season could be an unintentionally large Mercedes win again. I get the feeling Red Bull have improved via engine and potentially consistency and if they have done what we could see is them being fast enough to take a bunch of points off Ferrari, but not fast enough to take a lot off Mercedes.

Agree with this.

You heard it here first.

You clearly missed the predictions thread

Hopefully we'll see a better representative of true performance at this circuit and with some wind and rain forecast, some excitement!

 

[markoboyo11]

I think anyone basing the pecking order off the back of Melbourne is a tad naive. Will take a few races to bottom out where everyone stands. Regardless, hoping for a much better race than Melbourne which was dire.

Yeh I wasn't basing what I think will happen on Melbourne at all, just my ponderings for the year ahead that I had before the start of the year.
Not really sure what is naive about it.

Think this will be a great race, Bahrain normally is one of the better ones, and should hopefully get a better idea of what that Ferrari is like.

 

[timmeh]

EDIT: Scratch that. I thought you were someone else.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

A third DRS zone added. Facepalm.

 

[deuse]

@Shimmy Thanks dude.

I am hoping this could be a great race.
No spare parts for Williams car it's a joke

 

[Deleted member 651465]

A third DRS zone added. Facepalm.

But it adds excitement !!!1!1one!

 

[CaptainRAVE]

But it adds excitement !!!1!1one!

Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton have hit out at DRS with the latter branding it a “band-aid for the poor quality of racing.”

https://www.planetf1.com/news/drs-is-a-band-aid-for-the-poor-quality-of-racing/

At least they all agree too.

@Shimmy Thanks dude.

I am hoping this could be a great race.
No spare parts for Williams car it's a joke

Sounds like a team close to the brink. Very sad.

 

[The_Abyss]

Is it a team close to the brink in terms of finance though? I didn't think it was - they're listed, and they have a new lead sponsor. I though it was more a case of continued disorganisation in development and production, leaving them unable to produce the required parts swiftly enough.

Although they've added very little to F1 in the past few seasons other than being the butt of some easy jokes, it would be an enormous pity if a team with the heritage of Williams were to exit the sport, whether by means of their own poor decisions and management or otherwise.

 

[Goksly]

Think they reported a small loss last year (£2m?) against a profit the previous year of £10m... so they're not flush but hopefully they have some to fall back on. Depends on how much Stroll was putting in vs the new drivers I guess?

 

[Irish_Tom]

Thanks @Shimmy

Ferrari looking quick so far, but we all know FP times mean very little.

Hoping for a close race.

 

[Glanza]

FP1 Highlights: https://youtu.be/tS4wXL5ar8g

 

[Yaayuh!]

Norris doing well again, McLaren in general to be fair. Nice to see.

Quali should be interesting.

 

[Yaayuh!]

Alfas are not looking good. Both out for the rest of P2 up on high stands and some words being had at the back.

Edit: Water leaks apparently.