19/04/2015
NEWS STORY
It's hard to believe we're actually writing this, but Bahrain could be on the verge of dishing up a thriller for the second successive year.
Last year we were kept on the edge our seats as Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg finally took the gloves off, this time around the Ferraris, and possibly even the Williams, drivers are very much in the mix.
The record books will show that Hamilton took his fourth pole of the year, but he was pushed hard by Sebastian Vettel. We also know that on Friday and Saturday, in similar conditions, on long runs the Ferraris were actually quicker than the silver cars.
If ever a picture was worth a thousand words it was that of the post-qualifying official shoot and, to a lesser extent the press conference. Despite insisting that his teammate has not got inside his head Nico Rosberg looked broken, totally crestfallen.
Coming a week after China, and that followed, this is crunch time, this the moment the German either gets back on his bicycle or caves in, admitting that he simply doesn't have the wherewithal to beat the Briton.
Indeed, even without the threat from Maranello and Grove this could be a thriller.
Somewhat unfairly, we feel, Kimi Raikkonen has been told to up his game if he wants to be retained by Ferrari for 2016, this despite the fact that it was poor pit work that cost him a strong points finish in Australia and poor strategy that left him on the back foot in Malaysia. This could be a perfect opportunity to get his title attack finally underway.
Good also to see the Williams pair finally showing some of the pace we saw at the end of 2014, Bottas out-qualifying Felipe Massa for the first time this season. Though we don't expect to see them take the fight to Mercedes and Ferrari we expect a healthy points haul and the possibility of benefitting from any silliness or technical failures out front.
Daniel Ricciardo gave another epic performance in qualifying, totally flattering the Red Bull-Renault package, whilst teammate Daniil Kvyat is having the weekend to forget.
At Force India, Toro Rosso and Lotus one driver succeeded whilst his teammate failed, Nico Hulkenberg doing particularly well to get into Q3.
Lotus might well have had both cars in the front five rows but for a brake issue that hampered Pastor Maldonado. Nonetheless, we expect to see the Venezuelan give a typically 'strong' performance today.
Whilst Max Verstappen continues to get the column inches and photo opportunities, Carlos Sainz quietly gets on with the job, Toro Rosso clearly having discovered two very talented young men.
Down in 12th and 13th, Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson have a long afternoon ahead of them, but it's still a lot better for Sauber this time around than last year.
Hands on hearts, we haven't been on the sauce, but we're really beginning to believe some of the things Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button keep telling us. Whilst the Briton, in particular, has had a nightmare weekend, thus far, we can see signs of those green shoots of recovery. It won't happen overnight, but we do believe once the European season gets underway the improvement will be noticeable race by race.
The Manor boys will be glad just to get to the flag, looking forward to the new car (late summer) and those circuits (Monaco?) where they might benefit from others mistakes.
Tyre strategy will be similar to China - where the medium and soft tyres were also used - in that three stops is theoretically the fastest strategy, but two stops is more likely. The predicted total race time difference between the ideal two-stopper and ideal three-stopper is only 0.6 seconds, but in reality the need to deal with traffic would most likely make the two-stopper quicker.
The predicted ideal strategy is two stops. Start on softs, change to softs again on lap 19, then finally to mediums on lap 38. The best three-stopper would be to start on softs, softs on lap 15, softs again on lap 35, and finally mediums on lap 46.
The pitlane opens and one by one the drivers head out as the sun slowly sets and the shadows lengthen.
The big question is whether either Mercedes or Ferrari will seek one of its drivers to ride shotgun for the other, and whether the second driver will comply.
Sadly, one of those not heading to the grid is Jenson Button, McLaren having discovered a late ERS issue that compromised the safety of the car. A lousy end to a rotten weekend for Jenson and indeed the team, which, incidentally, has yet to issue a comment.
Ahead of the national anthem, the air temperature is 26 degrees C, whilst the track temperature is 31 degrees. It's windy but nothing like yesterday afternoon.
Maybe it's the lack of garish, vulgar architecture, but the whole night race scenario looks a lot better here than in Abu Dhabi.
At 17:50, McLaren tweets: "Sadly we are not able to ready Jenson's car. During fire-up, data indicated an issue originating from his earlier electrical problems."
Jenson Button will not race in today's #BahrainGP and we'd like to thank the #McLarenHonda engineers who worked tirelessly on the car," adds Honda.
So now you know.
A late topping up of the brake fluid on Grosjean's car.
Before they head off on the warm-up lap, Hamilton complains of understeer in a number of corners.
The field heads off but Massa is left stranded. The Brazilian is pushed into the pit lane from where he will now start the race. "It sounds like an electrical problem," he is told.
Sainz is handed a last minute 5s time penalty for "exceeding the maximum time for the reconnaissance laps". No, us neither.
They're away. There's mad jostling into T1 as Rosberg attempts and fails to beat the Ferraris. He fails, Vettel remains ahead of the Mercedes and Raikkonen get by coming out of the first corner. Hamilton leads Vettel and Raikkonen, with Rosberg fourth.
Further on, Bottas lock-up which catches Ricciardo out, the Australian running wide. Perez and Sainz also locked in battle.
Massa starts from the pitlane and is soon snapping at the heels of Maldonado. "We can still get some points from here," he is told. As Maldonado makes a great move on Kvyat, Massa hounds the pair of them.
At the end of lap 1, it's: Hamilton, Vettel, Raikkonen, Rosberg, Bottas, Ricciardo, Grosjean, Hulkenberg, Ericsson and Sainz. Verstappen reports front wing damage after a clash with (guess who) Maldonado , though he doesn't pit.
To add to the fun, the stewards announce that Maldonado is under investigation for being out of position on the grid.
At the end of lap 3,. Rosberg makes a great move on Raikkonen at T1, the German taking third from the Finn.
Rosberg is told to exercise some "brake management".
As Maldonado is handed a penalty for being out of position at the start, it is revealed he is also under investigation for the clash with Verstappen.
Massa cruises past Alonso to take 12th, however, the McLaren driver sticks behind the Williams.
Rosberg is now all over the back of Vettel, the Mercedes driver on a real charge. He makes a move in T1, Vettel makes a mistake and allows Rosberg to close but manages to hold the Mercedes off. Rosberg continues to hound the red car, the German showing an aggression he has been missing this year.
Rosberg finally makes his move, nailing his rival in T1, the pair sending showers of sparks into the twilight as they head into the corner. Again, as with Raikkonen, Rosberg goes deep on the inside, forcing his rival wide.
Out front, Hamilton is told "that gap is opening up nicely".
Raikkonen now begins closing on his Ferrari teammate. "I will try to overtake him," warns the Finn.
At the end of lap 11, Hulkenberg, Nasr, Massa and Maldonado all pit.
Next time around Ericsson and Sainz pit.
Kvyat passes Alonso to take tenth, as Grosjean pits, the Frenchman rejoining in 11th. Elsewhere, Maldonado posts a new fastest lap.
Vettel pits at the end of lap 13, the German rejoining the race 24.5s later in fourth as Ferrari go for the undercut. Elsewhere, Alonso also pits.
"Push now, push now," Vettel is told.
Next time around Rosberg pits, as Hulkenberg makes a great move on Grosjean to take 10th. Bottas and Ricciardo also pit.
Rosberg rejoins the race behind Vettel, the undercut works. "Fresh tyres, attack him now," Rosberg is urged.
Hamilton pits at the end of lap 15, her rejoins just ahead of the feuding Vettel and Rosberg. Rosberg makes another bold move, which could so easily have gone wrong and taken out his own teammate but, but all is OK.
Replay shows just how brilliant it was, the sparks from the card making it all the more spectacular.
After 16 laps, Raikkonen, who has yet to stop, is leading Hamilton by 9.7s, with Rosberg third and Vettel fourth. Perez, who also has to stop, heads Bottas, Ricciardo, Grosjean, Ericsson and Hulkenberg.
At the end of lap 17, Raikkonen and Perez both pit, the Finn rejoining in fourth just ahead of Bottas who is up for the fight with his countryman.
Alonso is not making things easy for Kvyat as they battle for 14th.
After 20 laps, Hamilton heads Rosberg by 1.5s with Vettel a further 1.7s behind, 9s ahead of Raikkonen. Bottas is fifth, ahead of Ricciardo, Grosjean, Ericsson, Hulkenberg and Massa.
Nasr is eleventh, ahead of Maldonado, Perez, Kvyat, Alonso, Sainz, Verstappen, Stevens and Merhi.
"Nico, we'll still need some fuel saving for brakes as you get closer to Lewis," Rosberg is told, as he struggles to keep pace with the leader and Vettel at bay.
Hulkenberg, Massa and Nasr are now scrapping for ninth, the Williams driver eager to end this nonsense and join his teammate further up the field.
As Maldonado and Perez close in on the squabbling trio, Nasr makes a bold move on his countryman to take eleventh... at which point Nasr, Massa and Maldonado all pit. However, as they leave the pits the order is reversed, the Venezuelan (14th) now heading Massa and Nasr. At one stage they are almost three abreast in the pitlane.
Next time around, Ericsson and Hulkenberg pit, but it's a dreadful stop for the Swede.
A mistake by Vettel who Appears to be struggling for grip and unable to slow the Ferrari, rather than Malaysia we now appear to be heading for a repeat of china. Indeed, Raikkonen is closing in on his teammate.
Hulkenberg passes Alonso for 11th, with Massa and Nasr still in hot pursuit.
Sainz stops at the side of the track, to become the first retirement of the afternoon., shortly after pitting. He says he felt something strange on the front of the car. "I think the wheel is off," he says.
At the end of lap 32, Vettel pits. He rejoins in fifth behind Bottas.
Next time around Hamilton pits, the Briton switching to the prime rubber. As he rejoins in third, Raikkonen questions why his team thinks the options will be better for his final stint. Bottas also pits, rejoining in in sixth behind Ricciardo.
Rosberg pits at the end of lap 34, he rejoins behind Vettel who, once again, has made the undercut work.
Next time around, Vettel runs wide in the final corner and gives third place to Rosberg virtually on a plate. Out front, Raikkonen, who has yet to stop, is leading Hamilton by 5.8s.
Sadly, as Alonso pits, Verstappen becomes the second retirement of the afternoon, the second Toro Ross retirement of the afternoon.
Having reported possible front wing damage, a result of his off, Vettel pits again, this time for a new nose and another set of primes.
Rosberg is told that on options, once Raikkonen stops he will be quick and will catch him. The Finn is subsequently told that P2 could be his. Teammate Vettel, is currently fifth, 5.7s down on Bottas.
As Alonso passes Raikkonen to un-lap himself, Hamilton also closes in.
The Briton subsequently passes the Ferrari, which offers no resistance, and then works his way through the traffic ahead which includes Alonso .
At the end of lap 40, Raikkonen dives into the pits. 24.547s later he rejoin in third, 18.6s down on Rosberg.
"All this traffic isn't helping my rears," complains Hamilton. That said, it's the same for everyone.
Maldonado (7th) pits at the end of lap 42, thick smoke pouring from his front brakes. His race is clearly over.
After 43 laps, it's: Hamilton, Rosberg, Raikkonen, Bottas, Vettel, Ricciardo, Grosjean, Massa, Perez and Kvyat.
Rosberg and Raikkonen are both warned that there will be traffic until the end and as a result lots of blue flag.
"Be aware," Rosberg is told, "Kimi is a threat, he is on the option tyres and will be with you at the end". Elsewhere, Vettel is all over the back of Bottas.
Nasr passes his Sauber teammate to take 13th, as Rosberg is told the gasp to Raikkonen is 8.5s. "Don't tell me the gap any more,"begs Rosberg.
Vettel's torrid afternoon continues, a big lock-up for the German as he continues to hound Bottas.
"Come on, blue flag, can we move these people," urges Raikkonen.
"Despite having Vettel in his mirrors, Bottas is told the threat from the German is "minimal".
Out front, Hamilton enjoys a 5.7s lead as Rosberg currently has a similar advantage over Raikkonen. Bottas, in fourth, is 28s down the road.
Massa, in ninth, is clearly struggling for grip, losing ground to Perez and with Kvyat closing in.
With 5 laps remaining, Ricciardo is given a gee-up, advised that Vettel, 16s up the road, is struggling as he tries to keep in touch with Bottas. Indeed, replay shows another big lock-up for the German in T1 the Ferrari driver lucky not to clout the Williams in front.
As the laps count down, Raikkonen closes to 1.1s of Rosberg, as Kvyat makes a great move on Massa at the hairpin. This battle taking place just ahead of Rosberg and Raikkonen.
Out front, Hamilton is told that Rosberg is "now under threat from Raikkonen".
A needless mistake by Rosberg in T1 sees Raikkonen take full advantage. The German tries to make amends but it's too late.
As he begins his final lap, Hamilton warns of a brake (by wire) issue. He's told that all is OK, and to exercise caution. That said, Raikkonen is just 6.2s down the road.
Hamilton takes the flag, ahead of Raikkonen, his first podium finish since Singapore 2013, with Rosberg third, ahead of Bottas, Vettel and Ricciardo whose engine blows as he crosses the line, almost in sync with the official fireworks.
Grosjean is seventh, ahead of Perez, Kvyat, Massa, Alonso, Nasr, Hulkenberg, Ericsson, Maldonado, Stevens and Merhi.
Ac the drivers climb from their cars, Toto Wolff reveals that both Mercedes developed brake issue on the final lap, one more lap and the win would have been Raikkonen's he admits.
Before we go any further we must apologise for a race commentary almost as scrappy as Sebastian Vettel's race, unfortunately this was due to issues with the official timing service that we all rely on.
Not the thriller we were expecting, a combination of errors, and maybe wishful thinking.
Yes Ferrari is much improves this year, but there is still a long way to go, as there is with Williams.
We know that the Mercedes is not bullet-proof and the news that both drivers ran into late problems offers hope that this championship will not only come alive at certain tracks, in certain conditions, that play to Ferrari's advantage.
A funny day from Rosberg, who, following a couple of superb moves, eventually gifted second to Raikkonen, though perhaps his brakes were already playing up by then.
As for the Iceman, hopefully, other than this marking the start of his season, it will inspire Mr Arrivabene to sort out that contract for 2016.
As for Hamilton, another excellent performance, the drive of a champion.
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