Formula One Vault

PRIXVIEW – Bahrain Grand Prix

Formula One remains in Bahrain following the second test for the opening race of the season. The Bahrain International Circuit hosts the season opener for the fourth time with the twilight race around the 3.363mi circuit and with the new regulations it is expected that the racing will be closer.

Over the hybrid era and since becoming a night race in 2014, the circuit has seemed to offer up better and more dramatic racing. The three years Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg were fighting for the title there were some incredible battles early on in the season.

The Bahrain International Circuit has a mixture of long straights and a tight infield section which creates opportunities for overtaking. But its high speed that matters on the three straights and that means that good downforce and speed are very important, as well as breaking at the end of the straights.

The circuit has a mixture of long straights and a tight infield section which creates opportunities for overtaking. But its high speed that matters on the three straights and that means that good downforce and speed are very important, as well as breaking at the end of the straights.

The infield middle section is the more technical and twisty sector, that will be an interesting section to watch over the coming weeks as it will give us an idea of how closely cars will be able to follow each other. The circuit normally favours cars which are good at high speed and high downforce, Mercedes being strong through most of the hybrid era.

Last year’s race was a very close battle between Hamilton and Max Verstappen, arguably it set the tone for 2021. The close battle between the two going all the way to the wire, with Hamilton taking advantage when the dutchman ran wide, in a race which proved to be about strategy.

Designed by Hermann Tilke the building of the circuit cost around £130m and three different versions of the circuit have been used since the first race in 2004. The first race being won by Michael Schumacher, the race being the first in the middle east. Schumacher won ahead of teammate Rubens Barichello.

The circuit has tended mostly to favour the teams at the front, not many surprises in terms of results. It will be interesting to see how these cars perform as they head into the opening race as they are designed to create closer racing. During testing, however, it looked as if there wasn’t a huge change in the order at the front, but the questions is how does that translate into racing?

Bahrain has in my view got better when it comes to overtaking, we have seen dramatic races in the hybrid era, although it has usually favoured the leading teams. Looking at testing as if the running order is going to remain the same, but you need to be warry as there is a lot that can change in the week between testing but the feeling

Bahrain became a night race in 2014, this race ‘dual in the desert’ set the theme for the next three seasons as Mercedes Sir Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg’s battle throughout the races for victory. that saw a race where both Mercedes pushed each other hard with Hamilton coming out the winner. Rosberg would have to wait until 2016 to get the victory.

The race takes place in the evening meaning that the track will cool down throughout the day, meaning setup during FP1 and FP3 the teams need to be careful not to react to the changes to the car in the warmer conditions. Also off the back of testing, they need to be extra cautious with not going too far towards warm conditions as that could screw the set up for qualifying and the race.

Race & Circuit Guide

Fast facts

• In 2007 the circuit became the first Grand Prix circuit to be awarded the distinguished FIA Institute Centre of Excellence award, given for excellent safety, race marshal, and medical facilities, and for the high standards of technology required to maintain these]
• Despite being owned by Bahraini investors McLaren has never one a race in Bahrain.
• Kimi Raikkonen finished on the podium eight times in Bahrain but never won the race.
• A German driver has been on pole at seven of the seventeen Bahrain Grands Prix held since 2004.
• Less than half of the races held at Bahrain International Circuit have been won from pole. Just seven of the eighteen races at the track have been won from the very front of the grid. The furthest back win here was for Sergio Perez in the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix. He started fifth.

Event timetable

What happened in 2021?

Max Verstappen beat Sir Lewis Hamilton by three-tenths of a second to take pole after putting in three fastest sectors to secure back to back poles and top every session for the first time in his career. It as predicted and set the tone for the season, it came down to the final moments of Q3.

Valtteri Bottas took third half a second behind Verstappen, the Finn was unable to improve by enough on his final Run to challenge the top two. Daniel Ricciardo out-qualifying teammate Lando Norris by four-hundredths of a second to take sixth. Setting up for as predicted a close midfield.

Hamilton went on to take victory following a race-long battle with Verstappen, the dutchman had no choice in the closing stages but to hand the position back with four laps to go. That decision he was unhappy with, Red Bull making the decision to avoid a five-second penalty.

Verstappen had beaten Hamilton at the start with Valtteri Bottas defending Charles Leclerc few the first few corners before the Haas of Nikita Mazepin went off at turn three. But once Hamilton had taken the lead for the final time it wasn’t one he was going to let go of easily.

Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas could have been in the fight for the lead however his race unravelled with a slow stop, he then settled into third being unchallenged by McLaren’s Lando Norris. Norris had dropped out of the postion when he made his second stop around half distance and then remained ahead of the second Red Bull of Sergio Perez throughout the remaining laps.

Perez had a difficult start to his first race for the team, he stopped on the formation lap which dropped him to last on the grid. That prompted the Mexican to showcase why Red Bull signed him as he came through the field and up to fifth ahead of the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc.

Race Result – 1) L. Hamilton, Mercedes, 01:32:03.897, 2 M. Verstappen, Red Bull – Honda, +00:00.745, 3) V. Bottas, Mercedes, +00:37.383

What to watch for?

This weekend marks the beginning of a new era in the sport with the move towards ground effect cars which should in theory create closer and more exciting racing. We don’t know that in full race setup, although what we saw in testing last weekend following should be easier and the DRS should be powerful does that offset the idea of creating closer racing.

Looking at the test last week and the stories since Barcelona the feeling I get is that Mercedes and Red Bull are the teams currently leading, but there is also the question of whether Ferrari’s pace can they show early signs of joining a potential three-way title fight.

Mercedes can never be counted out, they have an incredible record in winning the opening race, but we know that the racing should be closer. This opening four races are going to be a learning curve, as they all have different variables it’s more likely we will need to wait until Imola or Barcelona to truly understand these cars.

However, we know that testing can see the teams mask and hide their true performance. Running as well in practice may be more limited as the teams have had twenty-two hours of track running in Sakhir, but the teams may want to check upgrades which may want to check.

On Saturday evening Pirelli said based on testing the race could be a two-stop, but add the caveat that we weren’t running most of the time in reprehensive conditions. It’s likely that will turn into a one-stop race. The circuit is good for overtaking as we saw during last weeks test and in previous years this has been one of the better races for overtaking.

One of the biggest questions is whether Ferrari has genuinely made the step towards the top two while Bahrain won’t give full answers it will be interesting to see if they can be title contenders. McLaren, I think at this stage are slightly too far back but not out of this yet, anything can happen and we can learn a lot as will the teams about these cars and where everyone is.

Haas might be the outsider their decision not to develop last years car looks from testing to be paying off, can they be up there fighting with Williams, Aston Martin and Alpha Tauri?

2021 Lap. time comparison

A lap of Bahrain International Circuit

Valtteri Bottas comes out of the last corner builds speed and opens the DRS, then he crosses the start-finish line. Stays on the outside all the way along the straight before breaking in-between 150m and 100m boards. Turns in and get close to the kerb and then heads to the outside for two. He then runs to the inside kerb, building speed which he carries through three. Builds speed along the straight, before breaking at the 100m board for four. Hits the apex and runs the car to the exit.

Breaks slightly into five before building speed through the corner. Good through six and seven, breaks going into turn eight, hits the apex then runs to the outside. Crosses the track on entry to nine, goes through the centre and then begins to break. Hits both the outside and inside kerbs, before running to the inside. Runs along the support pits, breaks at 50ish metres running through the corner close to the apex then to the inside.

To the outside for thirteen, runs close to the kerb and then to the outside where he stays all the way along the strait. Breaks a 100m before fourteen where he takes the inside apex and then back to the outside where he stays until he crosses the line with a 1:28.789.

Tyres