Bahrain GP Thread - Contains Practice/Qualifying/Race Spoilers - Sponsored by Bernie's get rich Schemes

[Fernando]

First topic message reminder :



Having served up a fascinating battle in 2012 between Sebastian Vettel and both Lotuses, the Formula 1 circus arrives in Bahrain for round four of the Championship.

Mark Webber will be eager to bounce back from a nightmare weekend in China and prove a point to the world, whilst the pressure is on Mexican pair Esteban Gutierrez and Sergio Perez to deliver after disappointing starts to the season.

Kimi Raikkonen came close to victory last year and will be hoping to go one better and claim his second win of 2013 which would take the Iceman to the top of the Drivers' Championship

THE 2013 BAHRAIN GP IN A NUTSHELL
Track: Bahrain International Circuit. Permanent track.
Race start time: 1pm UK time Sunday (3pm local).
Laps: 57.
Track length: 5.412km.
DRS Zones: Two - Pit straight and backstraight, with separate detection points.
Driver steward: Mika Salo
Lap record: Michael Schumacher - 1:30.252 (Ferrari; 2004).
2012 pole: Sebastian Vettel - 1:32.422 (Red Bull).

FORM GUIDE
With Ferrari showing good race pace in China, the signs look good for the Scuderia in Bahrain. Between them, Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa have won five of the eight grands prix to date, although two of Alonso's wins came in a Renault, whilst Ferrari themselves have picked up the Constructors' trophy on four occasions.

2012 result: 1. Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull); 2. Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus); 3. Romain Grosjean (Lotus); 4. Mark Webber (Red Bull); 5. Nico Rosberg (Mercedes); 6. Paul Di Resta (Force India); 7. Fernando Alonso (Ferrari); 8. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren); 9. Felipe Massa (Ferrari); 10. Michael Schumacher (Mercedes).

Last five winners: 2012: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull); 2010: Fernando Alonso (Ferrari); 2009: Jenson Button (Brawn); 2008: Felipe Massa (Ferrari); 2007: Felipe Massa (Ferrari).

TYRE ALLOCATION
A week on from a race dominated by tyre degradation, Pirelli are taking the two hardest compounds in their range to Bahrain this weekend - the white-marked medium compound, which will serve as the option tyre, and the orange-marked hard compound, which will be the prime tyre. Thus, both compounds are a step harder than they were in 2012, with Pirelli having made a late change to the option compound.

The main demands placed on the tyres this weekend will come from traction and braking, whilst the circuit itself will be dirty, given its limited use throughout the year, coupled with sand blowing in from the desert. However, unlike in China, the GP2 Series are on the support card, meaning they will help clean up the circuit and lay down more Pirelli rubber.

These factors coupled with high ambient temperatures mean Pirelli feel "Bahrain is one of the most demanding tracks of the year in terms of longitudinal energy going into the tyres: especially under braking in turns one and 14, and traction in turn 10

Weather Forecast: http://www.enterf1.com/f1-weather/Bahrain.asp

Source: Sky Sports

[dyrewolfe]

I suppose thats all they'd need to do, as it should be plenty durable enough already.

Guess it'd be too expensive and time-consuming to mess around with the tyre compounds, so I suppose that just means we'll be seeing less of the softs and super-softs this season.