06/04/2008
NEWS STORY
 |
While not wishing to take anything away from Robert Kubica's excellent effort in qualifying yesterday - leading to any number of dreadful punning headlines - one has to wonder how many laps it will be before the Pole refuels today.
Then again, the same might be said of Felipe Massa, who looked set to take pole position having dominated almost every session this weekend.
There has been talk of the benefit of starting from the 'clean side' here, however, as Robert said: "This year it's more difficult to get a perfect start because without all the electronic systems there is more benefit to do everything perfectly. Even if you are on the clean side, if something goes wrong, you lose much more than someone who is on the dirty side and makes a good start."
We're not gamblers at Pitpass, however, if we were, we'd say that the two Finns are running slightly heavier, though looking at the overall picture we'd say that Massa is favourite.
Either way, we should be in for an intriguing game at the front as BMW finally looks ready to mix it with the Ferraris and McLarens, even though it might not be a full on assault.
However, it is the battle of the midfield that really wets the appetite, with Williams, Toyota, Renault, Red Bull and Honda all making progress.
On paper, this has all the elements of a great race, however, as we know from bitter experience this means little. Despite the tweaking of the rules and the banning of drivers aids, F1 drivers seem to err on the side of caution, opting for a safe position rather than challenging for an improved position. As we saw in this morning's GP2 race, sometimes overtaking manoeuvres end in tears, but if nothing else it's great to see a driver give it a try.
That said, let's hope there is no silliness at the first corner, especially in the wake of Lewis Hamilton admitting that he intends to make a "banzai start".
The Bahrain track, with its uniform grey track and beige sandy perimeter is a featureless, soulless place, let's hope the racing doesn't follow suit.
As the cars take their place on the grid, the air temperature is 29 degrees and the track temperature is 39 degrees. It is bright and sunny, but there are fears regarding the wind, not merely its strength but from which direction it will be coming.
Massa is very late arriving on the grid, only just getting there before the fifteen minutes warning, raising fears that there might be a problem. The team subsequently reveals that the Brazilian was merely suffering a problem with his earplugs… which meant he couldn't receive instructions from his crew.
As they head off on the parade lap, the majority of the drivers are on softs, the Toro Rossos, Williams and Piquet appearing to be the exception. Meanwhile, Piquet tells his crew that his gearbox is "rejecting" second gear.
They're away, and it's a nightmare for Hamilton who loses several places. Massa leads Kubica and Raikkonen into the first corner, but further back there's contact.
At the end of lap one, Vettel, Button and Sutil are missing from the timesheets, having been involved in the earlier incident.
Meanwhile, one lap two, Hamilton clouts Alonso, the Englishman losing his front wing. Without front downforce the McLaren driver cuts across one of the gravel traps and heads back to the pits. It's all go in Bahrain.
Hamilton pits, as does Coulthard, like Button and Sutil before them.
Raikkonen passes Kubica to make it a Ferrari 1-2, as Heidfeld closes in on Kovalainen. The German passes the Finn to make it a BMW 3-4.
Behind Kovalainen (fifth) it's Trulli, Rosberg, Webber, Alonso, Glock, Fisichella, Barrichello, Bourdais, Piquet and Sato. Hamilton is down in eighteenth, as Button (twentieth) posts the fastest lap (37.690).
Out front, Massa is setting a searing pace, extending his lead over his Ferrari teammate to 3.6s. Kubica is all over the back of the second Ferrari, as Heidfeld build a 1.7s cushion over Kovalainen.
On lap 5, Kubica posts a new fastest lap (36.186), as he continues to harry Raikkonen, further back - much further back - Hamilton has a 23s deficit to Davidson.
Not for the first time, there's a 'train' behind Trulli, with Rosberg, Webber, Alonso and Glock all running behind the Italian, who is currently sixth.
Another fastest lap for Massa (34.463) on lap 7, as Piquet climbs all over the back of Bourdais, the Frenchman's teammate, Vettel, being the only retirement thus far.
Just 8 laps into the race, the leaders are lapping back-markers, Sutil being the first 'victim'.
Alonso is under pressure from Glock, as the Spaniard loses ground to Webber, who is now 2.1s adrift of Rosberg.
Piquet passes Bourdais on lap 11, a nice move, one which would even make his Dad proud. Further back, Hamilton is now 11.8s shy of seventeenth placed Davidson.
At the end of lap 12, Massa posts a new fastest lap, crossing the line at 34.593. He is now 5.1s clear of Raikkonen, who has a 1.1s advantage over Kubica.
Sato and Davidson are scrapping for sixteenth, while, further up the road, Barrichello is all over Piquet.
On lap 14, Raikkonen ups the ante, posting a new fastest lap (34.322), as Coulthard and Button enjoy an all-Brit scrap for nineteenth. Elsewhere, Rosberg is told that he's losing ground to Trulli, as though the German can't work this out for himself.
While Hamilton is having a lonely, difficult, race, teammate Kovalainen is having an equally nondescript race in fifth. Then again, he might know something we don't, strategy-wise.
At the end of lap 17, Kubica pits, as Raikkonen goes quickest (34.224). Rosberg and Piquet also pit.
On his out lap Kubica goes wide, as Button and Coulthard collide, right under the nose of race leader Massa. The Englishman losing his front wing and consequently having to return to the pits for a new one. No doubt he will have seven shades of sh*t kicked out of him.
As Massa posts a new fastest lap (34.178), Raikkonen pits, clear evidence of the quality of Massa's qualifying performance yesterday.
Button returns to the pits for the third time, his race clearly over.
At the end of lap 21, Massa pits, as do Heidfeld and Kovalainen. The Brazilian rejoins still leading from Webber, Raikkonen and Glock.
At the end of lap 22, Webber pits as do Fisichella and Barrichello. Further back, Hamilton, now running behind the two Super Aguris, goes wide again.
After 23 laps, it's Massa, Raikkonen, Glock, Kubica, Heidfeld, Kovalainen, Trulli, Webber and Rosberg. Glock is the only one of the leading group who has yet to stop.
Hamilton passes Davidson and then Sato, but the Japanese driver immediately behind a fight back. Elsewhere, Glock pits, rejoining in ninth, ahead of Alonso. Nakajima and Sato are the only driver who have yet to stop. That said, the Japanese driver pits at the end of lap 26.
As Raikkonen closes to within 5.1s, Massa goes quickest in the first sector, however, he fails to improver on his previous best lap (34.178). Elsewhere, Sutil makes his second stop of the race.
Hamilton is up to fourteenth, closing in on Fisichella, who is now 4.1s down on Barrichello. For several laps, Hamilton is all over the Force India - both cars liveries looking remarkable similar - but is unable to make a move that will stick. Finally, on lap 31, the Englishman makes his move on the pit straight, nailing the Italian, who, for a brief moment, tries to fight back.
A new fastest lap for Raikkonen, who posts a 34.068, closing to within 4s of his Ferrari teammate. Meanwhile, Kubica is now 9.3s behind the Finn.
At the end of lap 31, Hamilton pits, rejoining behind Massa, but a lap down, in sixteenth. Raikkonen posts another fastest lap (34.062). Nakajima finally makes his pit stop.
On lap 34, Massa hits back with a new fastest lap (33.852), the gap to Raikkonen now at 4.1s. However, next time around, the Finn posts 33.709 as the Ferrari run in a league of their own.
After 35 laps, it's Massa, Raikkonen, Kubica, Heidfeld, Kovalainen, Trulli, Webber, Rosberg, Glock and Alonso. Piquet pits following a communication from his pit which seemed totally unintelligible.
Alonso is having a great scrap with Glock, as Massa and Raikkonen swap fastest sector times. Kubica, now 12.1s shy of the second Ferrari, can noly hope that he can maintain his podium position.
As Alonso pits, his Brazilian teammate goes slow, seemingly with a technical problem.
Raikkonen pits at the end of lap 38 as Massa posts a new fastest lap (33.600). The Finn rejoins in fourth, behind the two BMWS. Next time around, Massa pits, as do Bourdais and Sutil.
The Brazilian rejoins in third, Raikkonen having been caught on traffic in his out-lap. The BMWs still have to make their second stops.
On lap 40, Kubica posts a personal best (34.003), as Rosberg pits. Next time around, the Pole pits, rejoining the race 7.2s later in sixth. Coulthard also pits, as does Piquet, whose race is over following his earlier problem.
At the end of lap 42, Webber, Barrichello and Fisichella all pit, as Kubica goes quickest in the first sector.
At the front, race-leader Nick Heidfeld is setting a blistering pace, however, he still has to stop. Whether he's done enough to move ahead of his teammate remains to be seen.
At the end of lap 45, Heidfeld pits. He heads down the pitlane and rejoins in fifth, behind his teammate, but ahead of Trulli.
Kovalainen is running third, just a second behind his fellow Finn, Kimi Raikkonen, but he still has to stop. Barring a major mistake or technical failure from the Ferraris and BMWs, the best the McLaren driver can hope for is fifth.
At the end of lap 47, Kovalainen pits. 7s later he's heading down the pitlane, re-joining in fifth, 3s ahead of Trulli.
As Heidfeld posts a new fastest lap (33.565), Barrichello is putting Alonso under extreme pressure.
On new rubber (medium), Kovalainen posts a new fastest lap (33.193), but it's a case of too little too late.
The Ferrari's have eased off, no doubt wishing to 'save' their engines, but this allows the BMW ti close in, Kubica now running 3s behind Raikkonen. Webber, running in seventh, posts a personal best, as Red Bull looks to add to its tally.
The only real scrap, with four laps remaining, is the battle for tenth, with Barrichello continuing to hassle Alonso. That said, Hamilton is putting Nakajima under pressure for thirteenth.
Hamilton passes Nakajima, but he hasn't a hope of catching Fisichella who is 12s up the road. The Woking team having to rely on the four points that Kovalainen will bring home today.
Felipe begins his final lap, seemingly about to put his nightmare start to the season well and truly behind him.
The Brazilian takes his second successive victory at the Sakhir circuit, ahead of teammate Raikkonen, with Kubica third, ahead of Heidfeld, Kovalainen, Trulli, Webber, Rosberg, Glock, Alonso, Barrichello, Fisichella, Hamilton, Nakajima, Bourdais, Davidson, Sato, Coulthard and Sutil.
While Ferrari is the first team to take a 1-2 this season, it is BMW that leads the Constructors' Championship.
While it would be easy to focus on Ferrari, after all it was a great result for the Italian team, the real stories today are the failure of McLaren and the continuing rise of BMW.
Over the next couple of weeks, the Woking outfit will be looking to find out where it all went wrong, however, their Munich rivals will be working equally hard in an effort to secure that all-important first win.
Also, let's not forget Toyota, which has been 'best of the rest' for the second successive race.
No matter whet they might say, Renault is losing ground, and is under serious threat from Red Bull, Williams and even Honda.
However, the day belongs to Felipe, who only a couple of weeks ago was being told that he was on the verge of losing his drive to Alonso.
Then again, only a fool believes everything they read in newspapers or on websites?