The first Qualifying session of the 2024 season, so the first real chance to see the relative speed of the cars.
Qualifying session 1 (Q1)
Air temperature 18°C; track 22°C; humidity 47%
SAI 1:31.208
GAS is the first to have his lap time deleted for exceeding track limits
Not sure who was first to stop at the end of the pit lane, but there’s a queue of cars waiting to get on track
ALB 1:30.692
HUL 1:30.623
NOR 1:30.143
VER 1:30.031
(RUS P4, HAM P9)
SAI 1:29.909
5mins left; bottom 5 are ZHO, BOT, MAG, OCO, GAS
Sector times are generally improving
Everyone except SAI on track
Chequered flag; bottom 5 are STR, TSU, RIC, OCO, GAS
TSU P9, HAM P16
RIC P11, SAR P16
STR P2, ZHO P16
HAM P10, BOT P16
Back of the grid: BOT, ZHO, SAR, OCO, GAS
The DayGlo green Kick Saubers are both out, as are both Alpines and one Williams
Incident involving RUS will be investigated after the session – failing to follow race director’s instructions relating to maximum delta time (although it was on the back straight, when he was letting faster cars pass so he ought to be ok)
Qualifying session 2
A mix of new and used soft tyres for the first Q2 runs
HUL 1:30.997
PIA 1:30.624
NOR 1:29.941
MAG’s lap time deleted
VER 1:29.374
5mins left; bottom 5 are HUL, TSU, RIC, ALB, MAG
They all crawl out of the pit lane; it’s amusing to hear some drivers complain but they’re all doing it
Nice on-board video with ALB showing Williams’ new steering wheel configuration – the display is now attached to the wheel, not the chassis
Chequered flag; bottom 5 are ALB, RIC, HAM, MAG, RUS
LEC 1:29.165
MAG P14
RUS P6, STR P11
HAM P4, TSU P11
Middle of the grid: TSU, STR, ALB, RIC, MAG
Top 10 shootout is between LEC, VER, SAI, HAM, ALO, HUL, RUS, PER, NOR, PIA
Qualifying session 3
ALO sits in his garage while everyone else head out for their first flying lap
HUL 1:30.502
NOR 1:29.679
PIA P3
RUS 1:29.603
VER 1:29.421
HAM P4
PER P4
SAI P3
LEC P2
Order after the first run: VER, LEC, RUS, SAI, NOR, PER, HAM, HUL, PIA, ALO
ALO heads out onto an empty track
ALO P3
Everyone else heads out as ALO returns to the pits
PIA P7
NOR P6
Chequered flag
RUS P3
HAM P8
VER 1:29.179
LEC P2
SAI P4
PER P5
Front of the grid: VER, LEC, RUS, SAI, PER, ALO, NOR, PIA, HAM, HUL
Provisional grid: VER, LEC, RUS, SAI, PER, ALO, NOR, PIA, HAM, HUL, TSU, STR, ALB, RIC, MAG, BOT, ZHO, SAR, OCO, GAS
Race
VER leads everyone away on the formation lap for the 20th Grand Prix of Bahrain
Everyone starting on soft compound tyres
01/57: PER has taken P4 from SAI
STR wide in Turn 1; was there contact?
LEC almost alongside VER but VER slams the door shut
Radio from HUL reporting front wing damage
02: DRS now available (new rule for 2024: DRS enabled after 1 lap)
HUL pits; new nose; hard tyres go on
03: Turn 1 incident involving STR and HUL noted
ALO defends but NOR has stolen P6
RUS takes P2 from LEC
04: PER has DRS; closes on LEC
Replay of the start shows HUL rear-end STR
05/57: VER, RUS, LEC, PER, SAI, NOR, PIA, ALO, HAM, TSU, ALB, MAG, ZHO, SAR, RIC, OCO, GAS, BOT, STR, HUL
06: Radio for NOR telling him they’re switching to plan B
09: VER has 7sec lead over RUS
10/57: VER, RUS, PER, LEC, SAI, NOR, PIA, ALO, HAM, TSU
HAM inside ALO for P8
Yellow flag – SAR has pulled off at Turn 4
11: SAR is running again
SAI squeezes past LEC for P4, pushes his teammate a little wide
12: RUS pits, followed by LEC; both switch to hards
13: PER pits, followed by PIA and HAM
14: NOR pits
RUS defends but PER takes P6
15/57: SAI pits; rejoins on LEC’s tail
Radio from HAM complaining he has no battery
16: ALO pits, as does ALB; only VER yet to stop
17: SAI looks for a gap but LEC defends P4
SAI dives inside LEC and make this move stick
18: VER pits
Radio from LEC; he’s having problems with his brakes
SAI sails past RUS for P3
20/57: VER, PER, SAI, RUS, LEC, NOR, PIA, HAM, ALO, ZHO
Mercedes say HAM’s battery is charging ok
21: VER fastest lap 1:35.160
22: HUL makes his 2nd stop; more hards
25/57: VER, PER, SAI, RUS, LEC, NOR, PIA, HAM, ALO, ZHO
ALB closing on MAG
Radio from HAM, “seat is broken”!
30/57: VER, PER, SAI, RUS, LEC, NOR, PIA, HAM, ALO, TSU
32: BOT pits; long stop; problem with the front left; over 50sec stationary
RUS pits from P4; rejoins P9
33: STR steals P13 from ZHO but ZHO tries to fight back
34: NOR pits from P5; rejoins P8
HAM pits from P6; rejoins P9
RUS takes P6 from ALO
35/57: VER, PER, SAI, LEC, PIA, RUS, ALO, NOR, HAM, TSU
LEC and PIA pit; LEC rejoins P6
PIA rejoins alongside HAM; PIA ahead into Turn 1 but HAM cuts back and claims P8
36: SAI pits from P3; clean stop
NOR f/lap 1:34.476
37: PER pits from P2; softs go on; rejoins still P2
LEC f/lap 1:34.090
38: VER pits; softs; rejoins still with a clear lead
55/57: VER, PER, SAI, LEC, RUS, NOR, HAM, PIA, ALO, STR, ZHO, MAG, RIC, TSU, ALB, HUL, OCO, GAS, BOT, SAR
RIC is all over MAG’s tail
TSU complaining his teammate (RIC) isn’t fast enough
57/57: RIC pushing hard but can’t find a way round MAG
VER takes the chequered flag
Provisional result: VER, PER, SAI, LEC, RUS, NOR, HAM, PIA, ALO, STR; ZHO, MAG, RIC, TSU, ALB, HUL, OCO, GAS, BOT, SAR
[2024 calendar and driver line-up]
