The third round of the 2014 Formula 1 season takes place in Bahrain and follows what was an interesting and eventful Malaysian Grand Prix.
Drivers and teams have very little time to reflect on the race, however, with focus immediately switching to this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix.
The new cars have already completed plenty of laps, some more than others of course, around the tricky circuit following eight days of pre-season testing at the end of February and the beginning of March.
During the final four-day event, they even got to try out driving under the newly-fitted floodlights. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the first F1 race in Bahrain, it has been moved to a 6pm timeslot, meaning it will start under the setting sun and end in darkness – like the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Unlike the last round in Malaysia, the weather should remain stable (it will be a surprise if it doesn’t) with warm and dry conditions throughout the weekend, which should give us an even better representation of the current pecking order. However, temperatures could drop by as much as 15 degrees during the race.
But what do we know of the competitive order so far? Well, after two of 2014’s 19 rounds, Mercedes has the early advantage in both qualifying and the race. Red Bull Racing looks stronger in wet conditions but is certainly in the mix with Ferrari, Williams and possibly McLaren as they battle to be best of the rest.
Force India – particularly Nico Hulkenberg – could also join the party and looked fast in winter testing. Elsewhere, Lotus made good steps forward with reliability at the Sepang International Circuit and will be hoping to register a two-car finish, while Caterham and Marussia will be eager to close the gap on the cars ahead.
Upgrades and new parts will be brought to this weekend's race as teams continue to develop their 2014 machines, so the order could change. The field spread looked larger in Malaysia so hopefully it will close back up. Of course, reliability will be a concern once again with the high temperatures and challenging track pushing the drivers and cars to the limit once again.
Let’s take a look at a lap of the Bahrain International Circuit, shall we? Go on then. It isn't a particularly exciting layout, with plenty of long straights that are broken up by tight hairpins, and is one of seven tracks to be designed by Hermann Tilke on the 2014 calendar.
A 1.09km pit straight and tight, slow right-hand hairpin open up the lap. It is the longest straight on the circuit - with the pit exit feeding cars back out on track to the right - and is where the first DRS zone will be positioned. Turn one is unquestionably the best overtaking place on the circuit and often causes chaos on the opening lap.
The 2013 cars used to take it in second gear but this will obviously change due to this year’s machines running new V6 Turbo power-units and an eight-speed semi-automatic gearboxes (with the ratios being selected pre-season). For a look at how the 2014 changes impact car performance around the Bahrain track, see this video.
The second corner is a medium-speed left, with the flat-out turn three following. This right-hander leads on to another long straight that is then followed by the slow turn four hairpin. The corner is relatively wide, which can encourage different lines to be taken, and two cars can easily go through it side-by-side.
The second sector starts with turns five, six and seven, which make up a fast and flowing left-right-left complex that is similar to the Maggots/Becketts/Chapel section at Silverstone. Precision is very important here to carry speed down the short straight that leads to turn eight, which is yet another right-hand hairpin.
There is then a short burst of power before the tricky turns nine and ten. Through the fast right-hander, drivers have to brake, steer and downshift through the gears for the following, slow turn 10 simultaneously. Having a good car under traction is crucial for the run on to the following straight, which is where the second DRS zone will be.
The 11th corner on the track is a medium-speed, sweeping left-hander that then leads on to the faster right of turn 12. This section of the circuit is a particular favourite with the drivers. Sector two comes to an end just prior to the braking zone for turn 13. This medium-speed right leads on to the long 750 metre back straight.
The lap ends with another slow right-hander, with a very tricky braking zone that is easy to get wrong, and the barely-there kink of turn 15. The track is quite forgiving with large tarmac run-off areas. The pit entry is to the right and can sometimes cause confusion as drivers sweep across the circuit from the racing line.
The surface of the Bahrain International Circuit is made out of granite imported from Wales and is quite abrasive. Pirelli will bring the white-banded medium (prime) and the yellow-marked soft (option) tyre compounds to the race. It is the second time that this combination will be used in 2014.
The layout is quite stop/start in nature which places more longitudinal stress on the tyres than it does lateral, which means a car with good traction is incredibly important. Gear ratios also play a big part in a completing a quick laptime due to the long straights and grippy surface.
The brakes are also pushed to the limit over the weekend, which can lead to higher-than-average wear. Conditions at the start of the weekend are usually slippery with low grip levels as it is located in the desert, meaning sand is often blown onto the track by strong winds.
Fernando Alonso is the most successful driver at the circuit. He won twice for Renault in 2005 and 2006, before taking victory in his first race for Ferrari back in 2010. Sebastian Vettel and Felipe Massa both have both won in Bahrain twice, with Michael Schumacher and Jenson Button taking the other two wins in 2004 and 2009 respectively.
Bahrain Grand Prix Fact File:
Location: Sakhir, Bahrain
Track Length: 3.36 miles
Direction: Clockwise
Turns: 15
Laps: 57
First race: 2004
Lap record: Michael Schumacher, Ferrari, 2004, 1m30.252
Tyre compounds: Medium and soft
2013 race winner: Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing
2013 pole position: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, 1m32.330
2013 fastest lap: Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing, 1m36.961
Live on: Sky Sports F1 (Highlights BBC)
 |
| © Sahara Force India F1 Team |
The new cars have already completed plenty of laps, some more than others of course, around the tricky circuit following eight days of pre-season testing at the end of February and the beginning of March.
During the final four-day event, they even got to try out driving under the newly-fitted floodlights. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the first F1 race in Bahrain, it has been moved to a 6pm timeslot, meaning it will start under the setting sun and end in darkness – like the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Unlike the last round in Malaysia, the weather should remain stable (it will be a surprise if it doesn’t) with warm and dry conditions throughout the weekend, which should give us an even better representation of the current pecking order. However, temperatures could drop by as much as 15 degrees during the race.
 |
| © Ferrari |
But what do we know of the competitive order so far? Well, after two of 2014’s 19 rounds, Mercedes has the early advantage in both qualifying and the race. Red Bull Racing looks stronger in wet conditions but is certainly in the mix with Ferrari, Williams and possibly McLaren as they battle to be best of the rest.
Force India – particularly Nico Hulkenberg – could also join the party and looked fast in winter testing. Elsewhere, Lotus made good steps forward with reliability at the Sepang International Circuit and will be hoping to register a two-car finish, while Caterham and Marussia will be eager to close the gap on the cars ahead.
Upgrades and new parts will be brought to this weekend's race as teams continue to develop their 2014 machines, so the order could change. The field spread looked larger in Malaysia so hopefully it will close back up. Of course, reliability will be a concern once again with the high temperatures and challenging track pushing the drivers and cars to the limit once again.
Let’s take a look at a lap of the Bahrain International Circuit, shall we? Go on then. It isn't a particularly exciting layout, with plenty of long straights that are broken up by tight hairpins, and is one of seven tracks to be designed by Hermann Tilke on the 2014 calendar.
A 1.09km pit straight and tight, slow right-hand hairpin open up the lap. It is the longest straight on the circuit - with the pit exit feeding cars back out on track to the right - and is where the first DRS zone will be positioned. Turn one is unquestionably the best overtaking place on the circuit and often causes chaos on the opening lap.
 |
| © McLaren Mercedes |
The 2013 cars used to take it in second gear but this will obviously change due to this year’s machines running new V6 Turbo power-units and an eight-speed semi-automatic gearboxes (with the ratios being selected pre-season). For a look at how the 2014 changes impact car performance around the Bahrain track, see this video.
The second corner is a medium-speed left, with the flat-out turn three following. This right-hander leads on to another long straight that is then followed by the slow turn four hairpin. The corner is relatively wide, which can encourage different lines to be taken, and two cars can easily go through it side-by-side.
The second sector starts with turns five, six and seven, which make up a fast and flowing left-right-left complex that is similar to the Maggots/Becketts/Chapel section at Silverstone. Precision is very important here to carry speed down the short straight that leads to turn eight, which is yet another right-hand hairpin.
There is then a short burst of power before the tricky turns nine and ten. Through the fast right-hander, drivers have to brake, steer and downshift through the gears for the following, slow turn 10 simultaneously. Having a good car under traction is crucial for the run on to the following straight, which is where the second DRS zone will be.
The 11th corner on the track is a medium-speed, sweeping left-hander that then leads on to the faster right of turn 12. This section of the circuit is a particular favourite with the drivers. Sector two comes to an end just prior to the braking zone for turn 13. This medium-speed right leads on to the long 750 metre back straight.
 |
| © Red Bull/Getty Images |
The surface of the Bahrain International Circuit is made out of granite imported from Wales and is quite abrasive. Pirelli will bring the white-banded medium (prime) and the yellow-marked soft (option) tyre compounds to the race. It is the second time that this combination will be used in 2014.
The layout is quite stop/start in nature which places more longitudinal stress on the tyres than it does lateral, which means a car with good traction is incredibly important. Gear ratios also play a big part in a completing a quick laptime due to the long straights and grippy surface.
The brakes are also pushed to the limit over the weekend, which can lead to higher-than-average wear. Conditions at the start of the weekend are usually slippery with low grip levels as it is located in the desert, meaning sand is often blown onto the track by strong winds.
Fernando Alonso is the most successful driver at the circuit. He won twice for Renault in 2005 and 2006, before taking victory in his first race for Ferrari back in 2010. Sebastian Vettel and Felipe Massa both have both won in Bahrain twice, with Michael Schumacher and Jenson Button taking the other two wins in 2004 and 2009 respectively.
 |
| © AllF1.info |
Location: Sakhir, Bahrain
Track Length: 3.36 miles
Direction: Clockwise
Turns: 15
Laps: 57
First race: 2004
Lap record: Michael Schumacher, Ferrari, 2004, 1m30.252
Tyre compounds: Medium and soft
2013 race winner: Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing
2013 pole position: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, 1m32.330
2013 fastest lap: Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing, 1m36.961
Live on: Sky Sports F1 (Highlights BBC)
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