02/03/2024
NEWS STORY
While qualifying has given us some idea of the pecking order, the news that Mercedes opted to set Lewis Hamilton's car up for race pace as opposed to seeking the sheer grunt needed for a higher grid position suggests that we could still be in for some surprises.
Yes, Max Verstappen is on pole, but there are a lot of drivers breathing down his neck. Also, having opted to shun the softs in FP3 in favour of hards, the Dutchman and his teammate are left with just one set of the white-banded rubber this afternoon. On the other hand both have a set of brand, spanking new softs.
As expected the Ferrari looks good, as does the Mercedes - even if the German team is opting to split it strategies - while the wily old fox Fernando is in the mix along with the McLarens.
As was the case in pre-season testing reliability has been good all weekend and it is driver errors that have been at the root of most issues. Sadly, some do not appear to have learned the lessons of the past, and track limits look likely to play a part in this evening's race.
A two-stop is quickest on paper, with hard and soft the main protagonists. Of course, everyone will start on the soft, but those like Red Bull, who only have one set will have to make their first stop between laps 13 and 18 to switch to this compound, before making a second stop between laps 37 and 43 to finish on another set of soft. Those making use of two sets of hards would have to stop between laps 11 and 16 and then for a second time between laps 32 and 38.
A two-stop using all three available compounds is slower, but could be worth considering only if the track conditions evolve quicker than expected, as happened for example on the final day of last week's test. More plausible however is a three stop strategy to make the most of the soft's potential, for example if the race is neutralised in its final stages.
With Haas looking a lot better than it did a week ago, certainly in Nico Hulkenberg's hands, today's wooden spoon looks likely to go to Alpine whose two drivers fill the back row of the grid, with only Logan Sargeant preventing the Stake pair from filling the ninth row.
The pitlane opens and the drivers begin to head out.
Air temperature is 19 degrees C, while the track temperature is 26 degrees. There is strong wind from Turn 4.
Ricciardo reports that he has a flat-spot, as Verstappen carries out a number of practice starts and Norris locks-up as he enters the pitlane. Shortly after, as he heads out again, the Briton has another big lock-up, while Hamilton runs wide at Turn 13.
Having had a good look at the Mercedes, Adrian Newey checks out the Ferrari.
"Three days of testing, yesterday and Thursday, there was a headwind down to Turn 1 and now the wind has changed around completely," says Russell. "Turn 9 and 10, think we'll see some lock ups and people running wide."
All are indeed starting on softs, with Hulkenberg, Tsunoda, Stroll, Albon, Magnussen, Bottas, Zhou, Sargeant, Ocon and Gasly on fresh rubber.
They head off on the formation lap, Zak Brown looking understandably anxious as his drivers start side-by-side.
Gasly is told to "race hard, race clean".
The grid forms.
They're away. A great start from Verstappen and also Perez who is alongside Russell into Turn 1.
Verstappen has the inside and holds off Leclerc who almost collects Russell and Perez as they jostle for position.
Further back Stroll has spun after being tagged by Hulkenberg and who appears to have come off the worse from the encounter.
At the end of Lap 1, it's: Verstappen, Leclerc, Russell, Perez, Sainz , Alonso, Norris, Piastri, Hamilton and Tsunoda. Zhou is up to 13th and Magnussen 12.
Hulkenberg pits for a new front wing at the end of Lap 1.
Into Turn 1 at the start of Lap 3, Norris passes Alonso as Piastri also lines up the Spaniard. Up ahead, Russell passes Leclerc for second.
As Verstappen posts a new fastest lap (36.296), Leclerc is clearly struggling, as is his teammate.
Having lost out to Russell, Leclerc is now under pressure from Perez, who is 1.2s ahead of Sainz.
"We need to look at tyre management," Verstappen is told, "but I'm not sure how we can do that with Russell, Leclerc and Perez behind."
Norris, who has had two successive lap times deleted, has dropped 3.6s behind Sainz as Piastri passes Alonso for 7th.
Perez complains of a "lot of understeer" in the final corner.
After 5 laps, Verstappen leads by 4.7s.
"I have more pace than the guys in front," says Sainz.
On the run to Turn 11, on Lap 7, Perez surges past Leclerc to claim third. The Ferrari driver is clearly struggling with his rears.
In his pursuit of Alonso, Hamilton posts a new personal best, as Norris is advised that he is being switched to Plan B.
Sainz closes on his teammate who locks up allowing the Spaniard to get even closer.
Norris complains that his rears are dropping away as Verstappen builds a 6.9s lead.
At the start of Lap 10, Hamilton passes Alonso on the pit straight.
Out come the yellows as Sargeant retires just after Turn 4. Elsewhere, Stroll and Zhou have both pitted.
Thankfully, Sargeant is able to get going again, and in the moments that follow Sainz storms past his Ferrari teammate in a move that clearly was not arranged from the pitwall.
Ocon pits at the end of Lap 10.
Russell and Leclerc both pit at the end of Lap 11, as does Magnussen. Russell rejoins in 12th and Leclerc in 14th. Both are now on hards.
Perez pits at the end of Lap 12, as do Piastri and Hamilton. The Mexican rejoins in 9th, behind Russell, Piastri in 11th and Hamilton in 12th.
"Box, box!" Norris is told. The Briton duly obliges, dropping from third to 9th in the process.
As Ricciardo pits, Perez nails Russell for 6th, the Mercedes driver running wide in the process.
Sainz pits at the end of Lap 14, as Alonso, who is currently up to second, is unhappy with his team's strategy.
As Tsunoda pits, Perez posts a new fastest lap (35.606).
"I just cannot get out of front locking everywhere," complains Leclerc.
Alonso pits as does Albon, leaving Verstappen as the only driver yet to stop.
Alonso rejoins in tenth.
After that burst of activity, Verstappen leads Perez, who is followed by Russell and Leclerc, who has repassed Sainz, Norris, Piastri, Hamilton, Zhou and Alonso.
A bold move, remarkably similar to his previous effort, Sainz passes Leclerc under (late) braking for Turn 1.
Verstappen pits at the end of Lap 17, rejoining still 6.3s ahead of the pack.
"My car goes to the right when I'm braking," complains Leclerc, as Russell also has issues. Indeed, the Briton is left for dead by Sainz as the Spaniard claims third.
On his fresh hards, Verstappen goes quickest in S3.
Tsunoda is currently 11th, ahead of Stroll, Magnussen, Albon, Ocon, Ricciardo, Hulkenberg, Bottas, Gasly and Sargeant.
Check out our Saturday gallery from Bahrain here.
Norris is warned against over pushing his tyres as Ricciardo runs wide.
Lap 19 sees a new fastest lap from Verstappen (35.160) as he builds a 7.3s lead.
Hulkenberg makes his second stop of the day at the end of Lap 20.
Piastri is advised that Russell is struggling, as Perez is told that his tyres are a "little on the cool side".
"You are super quiet mate," Perez tells his engineer, "you need to shout!"
Both Mercedes drivers being told to "lift and coast" due to overheating.
"We are making good progress," Zak Brown tells Sky Sports, "we think we have a race coming to us here. Sounds like Mercedes are struggling, Russell has a problem with his brakes so it should be close."
"My seat is broken," complains Hamilton.
After 27 laps, the main battles are for 10th involving Zhou and Tsunoda, 13th (Magnussen and Albon) and 16th (Bottas and Gasly).
Stroll pits at the end of Lap 27.
"Tyre life is longer than expected," Leclerc is told.
Zhou pits at the end of Lap 28, the Stake driver rejoining in 17th.
On his fresh hards, Stroll goes quickest in S3.
Sargeant pits at the end of Lap 30 and switches to softs. A strange call. That said, a lap down the team is probably using the remainder of the race for data acquisition.
Ocon and Bottas both pit at the end of Lap 31. It's a problematic stop for the Finn, as there's a problem with the front-left.
Russell also pits and rejoins in 9th, 2.4s down on Alonso.
Zhou is all over Stroll as they battle for 13th, as Magnussen makes his second stop of the day.
Norris pits at the end of Lap 33, as does Hamilton, rejoining in 8th and 9th respectively.
Russell passes Alonso for sixth.
"I've got no power at all," complains Albon as Leclerc also has issues.
Leclerc and Piastri both pit at the end of Lap 34, the Monegasque rejoins in sixth, while Piastri runs wide on his cool tyres and loses out to Hamilton, thereby dropping to ninth.
Next time around it is Sainz who pits, the Spaniard rejoining still in third.
Leclerc passes Alonso for fifth.
As Ricciardo pits, Norris posts a new fastest lap (34.476).
Perez pits at the end of Lap 36, rejoining still in second, but only 1.6s ahead of Sainz.
Leclerc posts a new fastest lap (34.090) in his pursuit of Russell.
Verstappen pits at the end of Lap 37, switching to a brand new set of softs. His Red Bull teammate is also on the red-banded rubber.
Ricciardo passes Albon for 15th as Hamilton goes quickest in S1, the Briton subsequently passing Alonso for 7th.
Piastri has two successive lap times deleted, as Verstappen posts a new fastest lap (32.608).
Piastri passes Alonso, who has yet to make his second stop, for 8th.
"These guys are fast mate," says Hamilton of the McLarens. "Pace is pretty tight," he is told, "maybe they'll pay for it later."
Alonso pits at the end of Lap 41, the Spaniard rejoining in 11th on fresh hards. Hulkenberg also pits, rejoining in 18th.
Leclerc is within DRS range of Russell.
"When do we expect the hard tyre to be quicker than the softs," asks Sainz. "Around this lap," he is told.
Alonso passes Zhou for tenth as Gasly makes his third stop of the afternoon.
Russell runs wide in Turn 10, and that's enough for Leclerc to take advantage and claim 4th.
With 10 laps remaining, Verstappen leads Perez by 17.6s with Sainz third (+ 21s), Leclerc (+ 11.5s), Russell (+ 1.5s), Norris (+ 3.1s), Hamilton (+ 3.7s), Piastri (+ 4.4s), Alonso (+ 27.7s) and Stroll (+ 0.4s).
Hamilton and Albon both have times deleted.
Losing ground to Leclerc, Russell is now under pressure from Norris.
Magnussen (12th), Tsunoda and Ricciardo covered by just one second. The Australia driver, fearing he's losing the benefit of his softs, suggests a swap, when told Tsunoda replies: "Are you kidding me, now?"
"I don't need to say anything," says Ricciardo as his teammate yields, possibly at the most awkward part of the track.
Adding to his understandable frustration, Tsunoda is lapped by Verstappen.
"Thanks guys, I appreciate it," says the Japanese.
"He's got to speed up man," says Tsunoda of his teammate.
Ricciardo is all over the back of Magnussen, with Tsunoda in hot pursuit.
Verstappen begins his final lap 21.652s ahead of his teammate, twelve months ago it was 11.987s.
Verstappen takes the flag, ahead of Perez, Sainz, Leclerc, Russell, Norris, Hamilton, Piastri, Alonso and Stroll.
Zhou is eleventh, ahead of Magnussen, Ricciardo, Tsunoda, Albon, Hulkenberg, Ocon, Gasly, Bottas and Sargeant.
Ricciardo gets a late black and white for track limit violations.
Verstappen wins, ahead of Perez, Sainz, Leclerc, Russell, Norris, Hamilton, Piastri, Alonso and Stroll.
Zhou is eleventh, ahead of Magnussen, Ricciardo, Tsunoda, Albon, Hulkenberg, Ocon, Gasly, Bottas and Sargeant.
Well, despite the best efforts of the usual suspects it's going to take more than a few driver announcements for 2025 and dubious Intstagram messages to maintain interest if this was any example.
Whatever way you look at it, Mas took pole, the win and posted the fastest lap, coming home almost twice as far ahead as he did last year.
Granted, there's a lot to play for behind, and clearly some have a lot more work to do than others, but until somebody... anybody... can get to grips with Max all the hyperbole in the world isn't going to change the fact we could be facing another two seasons of flag-to-flag domination.
Check out our Saturday gallery from Bahrain here.