26/04/2009
NEWS STORY
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While rain, far less failing light, are highly unlikely to cause a problem this afternoon, there are still fears that the Bahrain International Circuit could be hit by a sandstorm.
Hard to believe one might think, however, let's not forget that almost two full days were lost here earlier in the year due to sandstorms when Ferrari, Toyota and BMW were testing here.
While it is great to see Toyota dominating the front row here, it is highly unlikely that the Japanese team will be celebrating its maiden GP win later this afternoon. Both Trulli and Glock were running on fumes yesterday, and will be the first to make a regular fuel stop this afternoon. Then again, we can probably expect to see the Cologne based outfit take away a decent amount of points today, if not a podium place.
Surprisingly, both Brawns were running heavy, as was Alonso and Hamilton. Therefore, taking all things into account, one has to say that Sepang winner Sebastian Vettel starts as favourite here today, the German running considerably heavier than anyone else at the front of the grid.
Spare a thought for Mark Webber also, for when the Australian claimed that the incident in Q1 "screwed" his race he meant it. The Red Bull has pace, as does Webber, it was also on a good fuel strategy. However, starting from eighteenth on the grid after being impeded by Sutil - who was subsequently penalized - the odds are very much against the popular Australian. That said, we wouldn't bet against a points finish.
While Brawn claim that they lack pace here, do not make the mistake of writing them off, while Vettel looks to be set for another win, we are convinced that both Button and Barrichello will give the German a run for his money.
Despite the early promise this weekend, McLaren has not made that big a step forward, though there is a clear improvement. That said, it is probably fair to say that the Woking team is more focussed on what will happen later this week in Paris rather than what happens here this afternoon. Ahead of the WMSC ruling on 'lie-gate', not to mention the raft of new components due to be introduced in Spain and beyond, it will all be about damage limitation for Lewis and co.
Renault is looking a little better this weekend, however, the real pressure is on Nelson Piquet, who is thought to have just a couple more races in which to prove himself. The Brazilian has the new interim diffuser this weekend, which should help him give a better account of himself. Sadly, like so many before him, despite looking good in the lower formulae, he has never quite cut it in F1. This could be his last chance. As for Alonso… write off the wily old fox at your peril.
Hopefully Williams will finally convert its incredible practice pace into race results, however, like Piquet, Kazuki Nakajima needs to raise his game, the Japanese driver having been consistently out-performed by his German teammate.
Talking of Germans, don't expect much from BMW this afternoon, who appear to have put all their faith in a brave strategic gamble, both drivers running heavier than anyone else and possibly even on a one-stop strategy.
While Force India has shown glimpses of improvement, the Silverstone-based outfit introducing a whole load of new parts this weekend, there is still a long, long way to go. The same goes for Toro Rosso, where Sebastien Bourdais is another driver under pressure.
However, the team under most pressure here today is Ferrari, which, should it fail to score a point, will 'celebrate' the worst start to a season in its history. Speaking earlier this week, Niki Lauda blamed the Italian influence within the team, and we have to say we think he has a point. The Maranello outfit has the resources, it has the drivers, it has the passion and the drive, however, now it has to demonstrate that it still has the direction.
Four teams are running KERS this weekend, Ferrari, McLaren, Renault and BMW, while the tyre options are medium and super-soft, which we will refer to as hard and soft.
Hard to believe but even though it was just a couple of weeks ago that we were anticipating the season opener, today marks quarter-distance in the 2009 world Championship.
Several teams are known to be concerned as to reliability, with Brawn particularly worried by overheating. Tyre management is also going to be a concern, especially for those drivers, such as Hamilton, who are particularly hard on their rubber.
As the drivers prepare to head of on the warm-up lap, the air temperature is 36 degrees, while the track temperature is 51 degrees. It is very, very hot, bright and sunny. It is also quite windy, which will surely add to the mix here today.
As expected, most drivers appear to be starting on the Super-soft tyres. Rosberg, Kovalainen and the BMW duo appear to be the exception. Massa is informed by Rob Smedley that Brawn have made modifications to the bodywork at the back of their cars as a compromise for the possibility of overheating.
The Toyotas make brilliant starts, with Glock leading his teammate, as does Hamilton who makes full use of his KERS. Hamilton makes a move on Trulli and gets through but the Italian has the better line and re-claims the position.
At the end of the pit straight at the end of lap one, Button nips inside Hamilton, who is unable to do anything about the Brawn. Elsewhere, Webber is up to thirteenth, the Australian on a real charge. Kovalainen has dropped back to seventeenth as Heidfeld moves up to fourteenth.
At the end of lap 2 Kubica and Nakajima both pit, having been part of an incident on the first lap which also involved Kovalainen. Both drivers fit new noses.
Glock leads Trulli, who is 2.5s ahead of Button, who heads Hamilton, Vettel, Barrichello, Raikkonen, Alonso, Rosberg and Massa.
Massa pits at the end of lap 3 as does Heidfeld. With the Brazilian now running in seventeenth, Ferrari's hopes appear to rest with Raikkonen.
Hamilton loses ground to Button, falling back into the clutches of Vettel, who has a 1.3s lead over Barrichello.
On lap 5, Trulli posts a new fastest lap (4.710) as he maintains a 1.5s gap to his teammate. Webber is up to eleventh and climbing all over Piquet.
Behind the Top Ten, Fisichella is running a surprising twelfth, ahead of Kovalainen, Sutil, Buemi, Bourdais, Massa, Kubica, Nakajima and Heidfeld. In fact, hard to believe, but Kovalainen appears to be holding up Sutil and Buemi.
On lap 10, his teammate Glock now 2s clear, Trulli goes quickest in the first sector, leaving Button 3.4s behind. "Think about saving your tyres," Vettel is told as Trulli posts a new fastest lap (34.556).
While Vettel might be saving his tyres, this allows Barrichello to close to within 0.7s of the German.
At the end of lap 11, Glock pits, as Barrichello is all over Vettel. Glock emerges just ahead of Rosberg, indeed, they almost clash going into the first corner.
"Prime is very slow," Hamilton is told, "option for the next phase." "I agree," replies the world Champion.
Next time around Trulli pits, like his Toyota teammate he fits the hard tyres, rejoining in sixth just ahead of Alonso. Kovalainen also pits.
"Give it everything you've got," Button, the new race leader, is told.
Trulli and Alonso having a great scrap, both drivers using every inch of the track, and then some. Side-by-side they fight it out, and eventually it is the Spaniard who wins out. Balls out driving by the two time champion, helped, no doubt, by his KERS.
Barrichello pits at the end of lap 14, as does Webber, the Brazilian sticking with the softer option tyre.
Button pits at the end of lap 15, as does Hamilton, thereby handing the lead to Vettel. Fisichella also stops. As per his radio communication, Hamilton remains on the softs.
Alonso pits at the end of lap 16, as Vettel leads Raikkonen, both of whom have to stop. However, of those that have pitted, Button is now ahead of the Toyotas, with Glock having lost out badly during the pit stops.
Barrichello is losing time behind fellow-Brazilian Piquet, the Brawn driver clearly frustrated as he falls further behind the leaders. The Renault driver isn't doing anything illegal - god forbid! - however, since he still has to pit some might say he's being a little naughty. Then again, he's fighting to keep his job.
Bourdais pits at the end of lap 18, the Frenchman having moved up to twelfth.
At the end of lap 19, Vettel pits. 8.6s later he heads down the pitlane rejoining in fourth, behind Trulli but ahead of Rosberg. The Red Bull driver sticks with the soft option.
Raikkonen leads, but the Finn still has to stop. Therefore, the real race-leader is Button, who heads Trulli, Vettel, Hamilton and Barrichello, who makes short work of Glock, who appears to have a problem. Rosberg is running fifth, but, like Raikkonen, he still has to stop.
Raikkonen pits at the end of lap 20, as Vettel closes in on Trulli. Rosberg also pits. The Finn, who fits softs, emerges behind Piquet who has yet to pit.
After 22 laps, Button leads Trulli by .5s with Vettel climbing all over the Toyota. Hamilton is fourth, 1.1s down on the Red Bull, ahead of Barrichello, Glock, Piquet, Raikkonen, Alonso and Rosberg.
Piquet pits at the end of lap 23, as does Sutil.
Vettel runs wide as he pursues Trulli, whilst also having his mirrors full of McLaren.
Fastest man at this stage is Barrichello, "good work," the Brazilian is told, "keep it up."
At the end of lap 26, Barrichello makes his second stop. The Brazilian sticks with softs, which means he must be on a three-stopper. He rejoins in eighth alongside Rosberg, who he makes short work of.
Button, who could also be on a three-stopper, leads Trulli by 11.1s, who has Vettel right up his exhaust. Hamilton is just 0.9s behind the German, but a comfortable 15.2s advantage over Glock. Raikkonen is sixth, ahead of Alonso, Barrichello, Rosberg and Fisichella. Thus far, no retirements.
A dreadful race for BMW, with Kubica eighteenth and Heidfeld twentieth.
"We believe you're two laps longer than Trulli," Hamilton is told, "you're racing him for a podium." Which suggests the Woking team feels that Button and Vettel have the first two places sewn up.
As Nakajima makes his second stop of the afternoon, race-leader Button laps Nick Heidfeld.
Raikkonen closes in on Glock, the Finn being Ferrari's only hope of a points finish this afternoon. Behind them, Alonso keeps a watching eye.
Glock pits at the end of lap 33, the German fits softs, rejoining behind Piquet in tenth. Elsewhere, Webber is up to twelfth.
"Try to open a gap," Trulli is told, the Japanese team fully aware that Hamilton will have run his final sting on the harder option.
As Kubica pits, Button closes in on Massa, the Brawn about to lap the Ferrari. To the Brazilian's frustration, the 2008 runner-up, and Bahrain GP winner, is blue-flagged.
The 'box' sign is hung from Button's pit-wall slot, meaning that the Englishman will make his second stop next time around. But will it be his final stop?
Sure enough, Button pits as do Trulli and Hamilton. Button and Hamilton fit the hards which means they are on two-stoppers. Alonso also pitted, as did Fisichella, Kovalainen and Webber.
Consequently, after 38 laps, Vettel leads Button by 10.5s with Raikkonen third ahead of Trulli, Barrichello and Hamilton.
Barrichello attempts to pass Trulli but goes wide. Hamilton is advised that the Brazilian has to make another stop.
With Vettel yet to make his second stop, it's looking good for Button.
Sure enough, at the end of lap 40, Vettel makes his second stop, rejoining in third, behind Raikkonen, who still has to stop, but, crucially, ahead of Trulli. Elsewhere, Webber makes short work of Kovalainen, moving the Australian up to thirteenth.
Sutil pits at the end of lap 41, the German up to eleventh at the time of his stop.
Button leads Raikkonen, who heads Vettel, Trulli, Barrichello, Hamilton, Rosberg, Piquet, Glock and Alonso.
Piquet makes his second stop at the end of lap 42, leaving Raikkonen and Rosberg as the only drivers yet to make their second stops and Barrichello still to make his third.
Trulli is 1.1s behind Vettel, who is 12.6s down on the race-leader Button. Barrichello keeps a watching eye on the fight ahead, but knows he still has to stop again.
Raikkonen makes his second and final stop at the end of lap 44, the 2007 World Champion rejoining behind Glock in eighth. However, with the aid of his KERS, the Finn is soon past the German.
Next time around, Rosberg pits, as Trulli closes to within 0.5s of Vettel, who is now 12.7s behind the race leader. Out front, Button is given the good news, that his main threats are pre-occupied.
Kubica's day gets worse as he spins. He recovers, but finds himself at the heart of the Vettel/Trulli dog-fight, much to the Toyota driver's frustration. Elsewhere, Massa pits.
Barrichello makes his third and final stop at the end of lap 47. 6.6s later he rejoins the race in fifth, ahead of Barrichello. A brilliant stop and an equally brilliant in-lap. 10 laps remaining.
Talking of dog-fights, Glock is involved in his own with Raikkonen, the two scrapping for sixth.
Nakajima drives into his garage and climbs from his car, the first retirement of the day.
After 50 laps, Button leads Vettel by 12.5s with Trulli just 1.1s behind the Red Bull. Hamilton is 8.9s down on the Toyota, but ahead of Barrichello, Raikkonen, Glock, Alonso, Rosberg and Piquet.
Involved in a hard, no holds barred, fight with Massa, Fisichella momentarily holds up Button, costing the race leader a second or so.
Luca di Montezemolo watches from the pit-wall. No doubt he was hoping for more, but then again, it could have been worse.
While Trulli appears to have given up any hope of taking second from Vettel, Glock continues to harry Raikkonen for sixth.
As Kovalainen posts his best lap of the race, Button begins his penultimate lap.
The Englishman crosses the line to take his third, and surely most satisfying, win of the season. It was a faultless from the 29-year-old, matched with perfect strategy from his team, and a super-reliable car, despite those concerns regarding overheating. Rubens Barrichello's fifth place only confirms that as the 'circus' heads to Europe the Brackley car is the one to beat.
A strong performance from Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull, who will surely be ruing Adrian Sutil's silliness yesterday afternoon, the German surely costing the Austrian further points in the shape of Mark Webber.
Toyota are sure to have mixed feelings about today's result. However, while we didn't expect a win, surely Trulli could have pushed Vettel a little harder in the closing stages. Then again, considering his pace in the latter stages of the race, how did Glock lose out so badly during the first round of pit stops.
No doubt Lewis Hamilton and McLaren will breathe a huge sigh of relief, leaving here with 5 useful points. All that remains to be seen is whether the Woking outfit will be breathing a similar sigh of relief later this week.
For Ferrari it was all bout damage limitation, and hard as it is to comprehend, the Italian outfit will surely be delighted to have salvaged three points this weekend, especially in light of Felipe Massa's early demise. Like McLaren and BMW however, the Maranello outfit is sure to be working flat-out in the next two weeks determined to close the gap to the leaders.
Another point for Fernando Alonso and Renault, with pat Symonds having previously admitted that this was realistically the best the French team could hope for.
Thankfully, the weather gods stayed out of this afternoon, and as a result we had a 'clean' race with no nasty hidden surprises. While the fuel strategy appeared to favour Vettel, that wily old devil, Ross Brawn, had other ideas, producing - in partnership with Jenson Button - another master-class in strategy.
No doubt the teams are kicking themselves for the decision to ban all in-season testing. And while this might mean that some of our favourites are lagging behind at present, it does make Sunday afternoons just a little more unpredictable and entertaining.