It almost never rains in the desert. Bahrain surprised us this week when we saw rain at the track.
But this rain will be short lived and we can expect sunny and warm weather for the rest of the race weekend. Temperatures will remain in the mid twenties with sun all weekend round.
Formula 1 has long been known as a sport that is both complicated and the technical supreme of motorized sport. This and the allure of speed and victory and glamour is what draw millions of fans to it. But recently the sport, which celebrates more than six decades of existence, has been anything but glorious.
Of late all of what makes Formula 1 great has been overwhelmed and buried under the awkward mess of the new qualifying format. The elimination style qualifying format was universally slammed by all who tuned into the farcical hour that would determine the starting grid.
The qualifying change was an idea cooked up by Jean Todt’s FIA, F1’s governing body. It put the choice of the ill-conceived elimination-style quali or a reversed starting grid before the teams. Rather than choose the preposterous idea of a reversed grid they opted for the lesser of two evils and so elimination-style quali came to pass. Subsequent to scorching criticism a reversion to the previous quali session was called for. However, F1’s strategy group has decided to give the new format another chance in Bahrain. It’s difficult to imagine that the new format will suddenly transform unenthusiastic opinion it’s currently viewed with.
The qualifying debacle has, unfortunately, dominated headlines for the last two weeks. It’s nearly made us forget that as the opening round of the 2016 season the Oz Gp was a compelling race. The choice of three tyre compounds in the race worked well and produced several different strategies up and down the field which is an exciting precursor for the rest of the season. And although Mercedes were eventual victors with a 1-2 finish they were pushed to the limit of what they could produce.
As Formula 1 tracks go the Albert Park circuit is unique. Its street-style layout is not a definitive barometer for car performance and it’s difficult to overtake on. As the second round of the season Bahrain’s Sakhir International circuit presents a bigger test on performance and more chances for overtaking. “The last corner flows quite well and if you can get close for DRS you can get a good run [to overtake] into Turn 1,” said Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo. “If you don’t get it into Turn 1, then there’s Turn 4 or the middle sectors where it’s easy to make mistakes. There’s probably four places you can pass on the track which is pretty good.”
As you might expect tyre strategy will play its role in determining what the final result on Sunday will be. The medium, soft, and supersoft Pirelli tyres are the choices available to drivers. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen has opted for three sets of medium tyres each while Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg has taken only one set of the medium compound. It indicates that Ferrari hasn’t ruled out an alternative strategy of a long stint on the medium tyre should conditions be suitable. In 2013 Kimi Raikkonen pulled off a two stop strategy to finish second for Lotus.
The Finn has a record of seven podiums at the Desert track and despite being inches away from winning the grand prix in 2015 has never stood on the top step of the podium here. As the Sakhir International circuit is clearly a venue where Raikkonen excels the 2007 champion may not be a bad bet for the spoils this weekend.
The Bahrain grand prix exploded into life on account of its transformation into a night race. In 2014 it produced an exhilarating wheel-to-wheel battle between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. In this race it was Hamilton who emerged a memorable victor. In 2016, it could produce a battle between Mercedes and Ferrari that you do not want to miss.
With the season opener behind us, teams fly across the Indian Ocean to Bahrain for the Bahrain Grand Prix and round 2 of the Formula 1 World Championship.
The Bahrain International Circuit is situated south of the Island State’s capital. Built on an old camel farm, the Grand Prix circuit layout features 15 corners with 4 straights. Drivers are at full throttle for two-thirds of a lap around the circuit.
Coming off his victory in Melbourne Nico Rosberg will want to carry that momentum forward. Lewis Hamilton, showed excellent form throughout the Melbourne weekend and was faster than Rosberg throughout the sessions before the race. Mercedes will have watched the footage of Ferrari’s starts at the Australian Grand Prix very closely and will be working on a solution for Bahrain.
Ferrari seem to be in the hunt Melbourne and Bahrain will be another gauge of how close they are to Mercedes. Their qualifying pace seems to be lacking but race pace is very close to Mercedes.
Red Bull looks like a team reinvigorated and are talking up their chances lately. With a solid showing from Ricciardo in Melbourne and with a substantial engine upgrade in the works for Canada they’re looking to finish behind Ferrari to keep up their advantage over other teams like Force India, Williams and Toro Rosso.
Newcomers Haas F1 made a dream debut in Australia. Were they just lucky with a few things or are they the fastest of the bottom runners. We’ll have a clear indication of this in a few more races.
| CDT | GMT | GMT+2 | Local | |
| Free Practice 1 | 06:00 | 11:00 | 13:00 | 14:00 |
| Free Practice 2 | 10:00 | 15:00 | 17:00 | 18:00 |
| Free Practice 3 | 07:00 | 12:00 | 14:00 | 15:00 |
| Qualifying | 10:00 | 15:00 | 17:00 | 18:00 |
| Race | 10:00 | 15:00 | 17:00 | 18:00 |
The 2016 Formula 1 curtain raiser is finally upon us. Round one of the Formula 1 World Championship will get underway in Melbourne, Australia for the Australian Grand Prix.
With testing done and dusted and with a few interesting observations that came out of it, the season ahead looks set to be a close one between Mercedes and Ferrari. But as we have seen many time in F1, what happens in testing is just that, testing. The real battle is on the track and it is expected that Mercedes will once again be ahead of the field.
Mercedes have worked very hard during the off season and by looking at the raw testing data it does seem as if they are in a very good position going into the season. But while Mercedes have been working hard, other teams have been doubling their efforts. Ferrari emerged as the closest contender to Mercedes during testing and they look to be in a similar position as in 2015 only a little closer to Mercedes. They are quietly confident that they can take the fight to Mercedes this season.
Mercedes and Red Bull are not far behind Ferrari and will be waiting in the wings and will pounce on any mistakes made by the Scuderia.
The midfield looks to be even more competitive this season than last year. McLaren look like they are ahead of their engine issues that plagued them last year while Force India have carried the momentum from the great from they were in last season. New entrant Haas F1 are looking to fight in the mid field. If testing is anything to go by they are going to have a tough time. This is a learning season for them and they can only get better from here. Their close partnership with Ferrari also puts them in somewhat of a good position.
The race will start in the late afternoon to make it favorable for the folks up in Europe. The practice sessions will be at a very early hour for most. Although there is nothing like a bit of Formula 1 to enjoy with your morning coffee.
| Session | Day | Local Time | GMT | GMT+2 |
| Free Practice 1 | Friday | 12:30 | 01:30 | 03:30 |
| Free Practice 2 | Friday | 16:30 | 05:30 | 07:30 |
| Free Practice 3 | Saturday | 14:00 | 03:00 | 05:00 |
| Qualifying | Saturday | 17:00 | 06:00 | 08:00 |
| Race | Sunday | 16:00 | 09:00 | 07:00 |
The question at the forefront of everything is can Ferrari take the fight to Mercedes. All indications are that the Italian team has made strides since last year and has closed the gap to Mercedes. All that remains to be seen is how close they can get.
As F1 2016 gets under way this season will be longest in the sport’s history with 21 races. Germany’s Hockenheim makes a return to the calendar and Azerbaijan hosts its first ever race on the Baku City streets. The confirmation of the US grand prix gives the teams an added bonus. The F1 sporting regulation state that one engine must be used for four race weekends. As the US Gp makes it 21 races the teams will be given a fifth engine thanks to the wording of the rule.
When the change to the qualifying format was announced it left many perplexed. The quali format hadn’t been a bad one so why fix something that isn’t broken? But, let’s give it chance and see how it pans out.
The one hour session will still consist of three parts. Q1 will be 16 minutes, after the first seven the slowest car is eliminated. Thereafter, the slowest car is eliminated every 90 seconds. Seven drivers will be eliminated while 15 advance to Q2.
Q2 will be a 15 minute session with the slowest driver eliminated after 6 minutes. Likewise, every 90 seconds will see the slowest car eliminated. Seven drivers will be eliminated in this session with eight advancing to Q3. The Q3 session will run for fourteen minutes with the slowest driver eliminated after five minutes. The slowest driver will continue to be eliminated every 90 seconds. Two drivers will remain in the final 90 seconds of the session to shoot it out for pole position.
An interesting aspect of this style of qualifying will be that the quickest cars will no longer be able to rely on getting through to the second part of qualifying on the harder of their tyre selection. It’s sure to throw the cat amongst the pigeons when there is rain about, and if it’s a lap longer than 1 minute 30 seconds. And let’s be honest anything that adds a bit of drama and intrigue is never a bad thing. What the new format has in its favour is that it takes the excitement from the final ten minutes of the session and spreads it throughout the entire hour.
The Albert Park circuit is a well known one. But there are many unknowns at the first race of the season. A new qualifying format, new tyre regulations, more driver freedom on strategy calls, to name a few. The clampdown on radio communication from the pitwall carries its own connotation, especially where the start of the race is concerned. Drivers are not allowed any feedback during the formation lap and are only being allowed to use one clutch at the start. This combined with Albert Park’s tight turn one could result in dramatic start to the grand prix. And all of this has the potential to combine into an explosive season-opening race.
Mercedes has chosen to play up Ferrari’s performance so far. Choosing to send both Nico Rosberg and Niki Lauda into the press with statements of Ferrari being a great threat. It could just be some clever psychological play by the champions. Or it could be real and we could in for a F1 season to be remembered. One way or the other the more than 100 day wait is finally over.
Daniel Ricciardo
“I think it [Abu Dhabi] really was my best weekend of 2014. It wasn’t a win but I nailed qualifying, I nailed the race, I nailed the whole thing. Pace, consistency, everything was awesome and it got me from the back of the grid to fourth, so yes, in terms of pure performance, it was my best race.
“I like the last sector in particular because that turns it into an exciting track. It’s twisty and you get right up close with the walls. You also have to contend with your tyres going off because the start of the lap is so fast – by the third sector you’re really having to manage your rubber. It’s… a challenge.
”I think starting in the sun and ending in the dark is pretty cool. Actually I think the whole atmosphere of the weekend is pretty cool. Lots of Aussies make the trip, lots of Europeans and there’s a really good multicultural scene. Lots of boat parties in the marina, lots of fun. I do like Abu Dhabi.”
Daniil Kvyat
“I generally enjoy most tracks and in one way or another they all have good associations but it’s particularly the case at the Abu Dhabi Yas Marina because I won the GP3 championship there. I had a good qualifying there last year. I was fifth on the grid I think but the race didn’t work out so well as I had to retire with an engine problem.
Still, it’s been enjoyable. It’s a good track to drive, even if it’s one of the modern ones with the big run-off areas. It’s very technical though and it takes some time to get your head around it. Do that and you’ll get a good lap, but Abu Dhabi is not as easy as it looks.”
Romain Grosjean
“It’s a good track with very nice paddock facilities which in my opinion are amongst the best on the calendar. It’s also a very special Grand Prix given that it starts in the day and finishes under lights, which makes it incredible for the fans as they can see through our visors and watch how hard we are concentrating. It’s also pretty good for me as I can get up a bit later on race day!
The weekend is a bit unusual as it can be difficult to work on car set-up in FP1 and FP3 as conditions are not representative of those you’ll find in qualifying and the grand prix. This means FP2 becomes even more important for both the engineers and myself, which makes it a rather crucial session.
“There’s no point holding back in the race or over the grand prix weekend. It’s the last time the E23s will be used in race action so I’ll be looking to give my car a good send off. The engine will be turned up to eleven, I’ll be racing my heart out and I know all the guys and girls at Enstone want to see a great end to the season.”
Pastor Maldonado
“It’s always a special event and being the final grand prix of the year makes it all the more exciting. The venue is fabulous and the facilities are the very best Formula One can offer. Even though the event is amongst the busiest, the ease with which everything happens makes it quite a relaxing one when you’re out of the car. It’s easy to get in and out of the track and the team hospitality buildings are immense. Away from the track, the people are always really welcoming, the weather is great and the place is spectacular.
“It’s a good track to drive. The first sector at the circuit stands out with Turns 2, 3 and 4 being particularly enjoyable and the final sector is pretty eye-catching, even if you do have a lot of work to do behind the wheel at this section. The event format is interesting because of half the practice sessions being during the day, when the grand prix itself is in early evening. This means you have a little bit less data in race representative conditions, but we’ve been to Abu Dhabi many times so the engineers are pretty good at working out what to do.”
Nick Chester, technical director
“The first sector is generally medium speed with a couple of high speed corners and not too technically challenging; a reasonable level of downforce works fine here. The second sector is more power hungry with two good straights and two low speed corners – a low speed hairpin and a low speed chicane so it’s important to manage these well. The final sector is quite technical with a number of low and medium speed corners where the car needs to be well balanced and work well to achieve a good lap time. Putting all that together is key – you need a car that works well in low speed corners and be good in the long straights.”
Sergio Perez
“The 2015 season has gone by so quickly, but I have lots of great memories and I’m very proud of what we have achieved. I think it’s probably been my best season in Formula One in terms of results and also the most enjoyable. We have grown a lot during the course of the year and we have had some special days, with a highlight being my podium in Russia and my home race in Mexico.
“I think Abu Dhabi is the perfect place to end the season, especially with a race under the lights. The whole venue is impressive and the track is quite a challenge from a set-up point of view. You need a car that works through the fast corners in the first sector, as well as through the slow final sector, which feels more like a twisty street circuit.
“I think we have the potential for a big result in Abu Dhabi. Things didn’t work out for me in Brazil so I’m determined to get back in the points this weekend and finish this great season on a positive note.”
Nico Hulkenberg
“The final race of the season is always important because you want to finish the season well and carry the momentum into the winter months. We have already secured fifth in the championship but I want to make sure I end the season in the top ten of the drivers’ championship so there is still a lot to play for.
“Abu Dhabi is a fun place for the season finale: the venue is great and the twilight racing helps create a special atmosphere. As a track, it’s not easy to get a good lap as the layout is very technical, especially in the final sector. It’s quite easy to come into a corner too hot and make a mistake, and finding a good flow is a big challenge.
“Brazil was a very enjoyable weekend for me: the car felt great and we maximised every session to come away with a well-deserved result. I think we can realistically aim for a similar performance this weekend. It’s been a great year for everyone in the team and we deserve to finish on a high.”
Vijay Mallya, team principal
“Heading to Abu Dhabi with fifth place in the championship already secured feels pretty good. It means we can approach the last weekend of the season free from pressure and with nothing to lose. Our focus is simply on enjoying the race and ending the season in style. Abu Dhabi will be a special race for us as it marks the 150th of our history as Force India, and we will aim to celebrate it with a strong performance on the track.
“All season I’ve been saying how proud I am of my team – particularly our development curve in the second half of the season. With 81 points from the last eight races we’ve enjoyed our best ever strike rate and we have been competitive at every race. With stable regulations for 2016, there is every reason to believe we can carry this form through the winter and into the new season. There is plenty to be excited about and a lot of positive energy in the team.
“This weekend’s race is simply another chance to demonstrate how far we have come. Our aim will be to qualify in the top ten and add a final helping of points to our tally.”
The final stop of the Formula 1 World Championship brings us to the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.
Last year the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was the title decider which ultimately seen Mercedes Lewis Hamilton crowned World Champion. This year things are much different. Hamilton and Mercedes have the drivers and constructors championships all wrapped up. But there are still some fascinating battles out on track that keep us interested. The team mate battle in the mid-field teams will reach its climax in the race on Sunday.
The Red Bull pairing of Daniil Kvyat and Daniel Ricciardo are separated by 10 points while over at Force India a total of 16 points separates Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg. The gap between the Toro Rosso drivers seems too big to close for Carlos Sainz and seems like Max Verstappen has won that battle.
The circuit on the other hand is known well to Pirelli who have conducted many tests over the years at the facility. The Italian tyre manufacturer has selected the red walled super soft and yellow walled soft compound tyres for the weekend. The smooth track surface and relatively low degradation around the Yas Marina circuit make the tyres and ideal choice and it forces teams into a two stop strategy.
The first two sectors around the track are relatively high speed sectors with a few chicanes and one low speed hairpin. The third sector is characterised by slow to medium speed corners which will require the mechanical grip provided by the tyres to get the power down. Pirelli are expecting a performance gap between 1.0 and 1.2s between the two compounds.
The weather in Abu Dhabi us about as predictable as a Mercedes podium finish. The weather this weekend will remain sunny and warm with no chance of rain throughout the weekend. With the race taking place in the early evening, the temperatures will drop to the low 20’s but things will still remain relatively warm.
Fernando Alonso
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend represents many things for us at McLaren-Honda: the end of a challenging season and a significant learning curve; the opportunity to collect as much information as possible and continue our learning; and the start of the winter period where we are all focussed on working incredibly hard on next year’s package, and seeing more progress and results from our efforts throughout this year.
“Yas Marina is always an exciting racetrack to drive on – it’s one of those circuits that changes its character all the way through the lap, which makes it a lot of fun for the drivers. The spectacle of a twilight race, and feeling the atmosphere change as the light fades during the sessions over the course of the weekend is pretty incredible. Abu Dhabi is a fantastic place to end the season and we are hoping to take what we can from the weekend and enjoy it as much as possible.
“After a few difficult weekends, we will of course be pushing hard to finish the year on a positive note, but the whole team knows the work we have to do over the winter, and there’s huge commitment from everyone already to start seeing results. Every session this weekend will be an opportunity to learn more and take that development into next year’s car, so as usual we will continue fighting as hard as we can to the end.”
Jenson Button
“It’s great to be heading back to Yas Marina, not least because of the excitement and buzz that the fans bring and the incredible setting Abu Dhabi provides for a racing venue, but also because it is the end of a long and challenging year for the whole team. Although we’ve had some difficult weekends over the past few races, the mood back at MTC is still very upbeat, and everyone is already working hard for next year.
“It’s testament to the strength of our team that we continue to come out fighting every race weekend, and Abu Dhabi will be exactly the same. Yas Marina is a tricky circuit with lots of different elements coming together: sweeping faster sections, two long back straights, and a slower-speed tight, twisty infield section at the end of the lap. It makes set-up a challenge and particularly for our package it’s not well suited, but we’re hopeful of a more positive performance there than we found at Interlagos.
“If we can push for some points in Abu Dhabi, it’ll definitely be a boost for the team to end the season, and will reward all the efforts from every single member of the team over the past year. We already have our heads firmly on the development push over winter, so anything positive we can take from this weekend will help us start our next chapter together with even more energy. Our motivation is as strong as ever.”
Eric Boullier, racing director, McLaren-Honda
“The last race of the season always offers an incredibly unique and exciting atmosphere. It’s an opportunity to reflect on the season that has passed, enjoy the last racing weekend of the year, and turn our attention to the new chapter to come.
“Yas Marina is a hugely impressive facility and a superb venue to go racing at, and its twilight backdrop is a fitting way to end the season. We’ll go there on the back of a challenging year, there’s no doubt about that, but with the determination to finish the season on a high and provide the ever-enthusiastic fans with a fantastic weekend of racing.
“Although it is the last race of the season, our development has not stopped, and we are still bringing new parts and design elements to the car for the final grand prix. Our development is constant and we place huge importance on learning at every opportunity. All of our efforts this weekend will be beneficial to next year’s car, and it’s essential that we maximise the final sessions of the year, not only to end the season on a high, but to use the invaluable information we can glean from them and channel it into tangible progress over the winter period.
“It’s important to thank each and every member of the McLaren-Honda team: those on the road, at the McLaren Technology Centre, in Sakura and in Milton Keynes, for their hard work, enthusiasm and dedication all year. Our energy and commitment will continue relentlessly over the winter, with our shared goal firmly in our minds: to win. Equally, thank you to our Partners, both longstanding and new, who understand our vision and the immense work going on behind the scenes to assure us of more positive results to come.
“Last but certainly not least, I’d like to express huge gratitude to our loyal fans, who have demonstrated unwavering support through challenging times, and share our optimism for a successful future ahead. We look forward to an exciting weekend against the stunning scenery of Yas Marina, and the start of an exciting next phase for McLaren-Honda.”
Yasuhisa Arai, Honda R&D senior managing officer – chief officer of motorsport
“So much has happened since McLaren-Honda’s new beginnings here in Abu Dhabi last year. We have come a long way since that first test, and although we have had a difficult and eventful season in 2015, the team is as united as ever.
“The amount of changes that have gone into both the car and the power units this year with such speed has been incredible. Both Woking and Sakura have been working tirelessly throughout the year, and together with the drivers, their bond has become stronger as the season progressed. I am thankful for all their hard work, and encouraged by their enthusiasm to improve further over the winter.
“Yas Marina Circuit is an entertaining event that is fitting for the final battle of the season. Our focus will be to end the season giving it our all, and to continue making improvements.”