10/03/2010
NEWS STORY
The Bahrain International Circuit is just 10m above sea level and has an average pressure (approx. 1,000mbar), so baseline engine power should be good. The circuit has been extended from 5.412km to 6.299km for this year's event which will place different demands on engine performance. The track still has four significant straights, including the main start-finish straight which is just over 1km in length, but the proportion of the lap spent at full throttle will be reduced. Engine power will play a pivotal role down the straights, particularly in the first and final sectors of the lap.
The new 'Endurance' section consists of eight corners over a distance of almost 0.9km, which will give the gearbox more of a workout and will also result in higher engine temperatures.
Combining that with the usually dry warm air in Bahrain will make it harder to cool the engine through this new section of the track. Drivers will therefore need to be mindful of maximising the flow of air to their car's radiators and not spend too much time in the wake of cars ahead.
With refuelling no longer allowed, fuel efficiency will be a key factor in the outcome of the race, particularly with the longer track configuration. The potential tactic of running the engine lean to obtain greater fuel efficiency may exaggerate cooling problems and so finding clean air is likely to be a significant advantage.
Fast Facts
Bahrain will mark Cosworth's return to Formula One as an engine supplier after a three year sabbatical. Cosworth is supplying its CA2010 engines to four teams; AT&T Williams, HRT F1, Lotus Racing and Virgin Racing.
Cosworth V8 power helped the Williams team claim the fastest lap of the race in the 2006 event
Engine manufacturers are no longer permitted to add extra filters to prevent the intake of the Bahraini desert sand. Filters are deemed to be a homologated part of the engine and are, as such, fixed as part of the engine freeze regulations.
The new-look Bahrain circuit is now the second longest circuit on the calendar, 0.705km shorter than Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium.