Bahrain Grand Prix – Race
[Bahrain GP news] [Practice] [Qualifying]
From my Quali notes – provisional grid: SV, LH, MW, JB, NR, DR, RG, SP, FA, PRe, KR, KK, NH, FM, BS, HK, [PM*] MS, JV, VP, CP, PRo, PM, TG, NK.
*PM has a 5 grid spot penalty waiting for him after a gearbox change
MS was also handed a 5 grid spot penalty for a gearbox change [source: FIA]
Updated grid: SV, LH, MW, JB, NR, DR, RG, SP, FA, PRe, KR, KK, NH, FM, BS, HK, JV, VP, CP, PRo, PM*, MS*, TG, NK.
(*Both PM & MS dropped five grid places as penalty for unscheduled gearbox changes.)
As I noted before, Pirelli have brought the medium (white band) and soft (yellow) compounds; the option (soft) tyre is about a 0.6sec/lap faster than the primes.
Weather: air 27°C; track 32°C; wind 2.6m/s; humidity 37%
SV leads everyone away on the formation lap
Looks like everyone except KK starting on the option (soft) tyres
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Bahrain Grand Prix – Qualifying
NR was fastest in final Practice (FP3), as well as in Practice 2.
“A man is shot dead in Bahrain during overnight protests ahead of Sunday’s F1 Grand Prix, opposition activists say.” [source: BBC News]
Weather: air temp 31°C; track 43°c; wind 6.4m/s; humidity 14%; significant headwind on the main straight
Pirelli have brought the medium (white band) and soft (yellow) compounds; the option (soft) tyre is about a 0.6sec/lap faster than the primes.
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Bahrain Grand Prix – Practice
There’s controversy and concern about running the Bahrain Grand Prix, but nonetheless it’s happening right now!
It’s only 4 days since NR’s victory in China; LH heads the Drivers’ Championship, 2 points ahead of his McLaren teammate.
Free Practice 1 (FP1)
LH was fastest (1:33.572), followed by SV, PRe, NR, JB, NH, MS, MW, KR, RG
“Force India will finish second practice early at the Bahrain Grand Prix so they can return to their hotel before dark.” “F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone said he had offered a police escort from the track.” [source: BBC News]
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Bahrain Grand Prix weekend
Last year’s Bahrain Grand Prix was cancelled (well, at first it was postponed, then reinstated, and then cancelled) due to the ongoing Bahraini uprising. The FIA have announced that this season’s Bahrain Grand Prix will take place as scheduled this coming weekend.
BBC News reports “Bahraini security forces have fired stun grenades at protesters outside a cultural exhibition in Manama”. The article also says:
On Wednesday, opposition supporters held a protest demanding Sunday’s Grand Prix also be called off, and calling for the immediate release of Mr Khawaja in Old Manama.
A Bahraini journalist, who asked not to be named for fear of arrest, told the BBC that there were chaotic scenes outside Bab al-Bahrain, which marks the entrance to the main souq.
It’s going to be an interesting weekend; hopefully the race will go off without incident but if people are willing to disrupt the Boat Race (which has far less worldwide coverage) then Formula One’s global presence is an obvious target.
Chinese Grand Prix – Race
Hamilton qualified well but has a 5 grid spot penalty for a gearbox change (see my notes from Practice for more news).
Everyone but 4 drivers (FM, JV, DR & BS) are starting on the soft (option) tyre; the others will be on the medium (prime) compound.
Weather is dry but overcast; track 24°C
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