Bahrain Grand Prix: lessons learned before qualifying

The preview of the first trends is making mouths water in Bahrain! At the top of them, a battle for the lead ahead of Saturday afternoon’s qualifying on the Sakhir circuit.

This 2021 season of course started in two phases: a sunny and hot period on Friday morning with temperatures reaching nearly 53 degrees on the track, followed by cooler weather on Friday evening. The wind is also closely monitored by the teams: it could create some unpleasant surprises with cars becoming more unstable at the rear.

Red Bull puts itself in the shoes of the favorite.

Already dominant during winter testing, Red Bull once again proved its supremacy during the first two free practice sessions. Although the new “Checo” Perez has a slightly slower pace than his teammate, the Mexican has stayed within the top 5, similar to Albon at the beginning of 2020.

But above all, Max Verstappen dominated the time sheets and the race pace simulation. The Dutchman is unbeaten at Sakhir in 2021 so far. It is still too early to say whether Red Bull will hold up in the long run, but the start is exciting!

Mercedes is still looking

After disappointing winter tests, Mercedes has clearly not found the miracle solution. Balance issues still bother Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, who are nonetheless very familiar with the Sakhir circuit. The W12 appears to be a demanding car to set up, and the wind blowing on the Bahrain track doesn’t help.

Hamilton was closer to Verstappen on Friday afternoon but qualifying and the race will be essential to confirm whether the car is poorly born. You know, we are never safe from a surprise with the reigning world champion team!

Valtteri Bottas: « The car was undriveable at times »

The beautiful working base of McLaren

Carried by its new duo Norris/Ricciardo, the English team seems to continue its climb towards the top. With its new highly designed sidepods and a unique diffuser, McLaren has made progress from a technical point of view. The results are being felt in Friday’s practice sessions, especially with Lando Norris, author of two third-place finishes in FP1… and a magnificent second place in FP2.

Ferrari on the rebound

Yes, Maranello has improved its engine! Progress is visible: Ferrari is at the top of the standings after the first two free practice sessions. Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc have their preferred settings but both are in good form: the two drivers took turns in the top 6, with the Monegasque in the morning and the Spaniard in the afternoon.

Charles Leclerc: « We did not expect to be so competitive »

AlphaTauri breaks into the top 8.

The drivers’ satisfaction during winter testing was not misleading: Pierre Gasly took 7th place in FP1, the same position as Yuki Tsunoda in the afternoon. Better still, the Japanese rookie was within half a second of Max Verstappen at the end of FP2.

Aston Martin and Alpine off to a bad start.

Discreet in this early season, the Aston Martin team is divided. Although it has some improvements compared to last year, the initial results are not up to the team’s investments.

Same observation for the other rebranded team: Alpine has struggled at the start and seems to be behind on a quick lap compared to McLaren and Aston Martin. observation that we revealed in this article

First damages for Alfa Romeo.

Experience does not prevent mistakes: Kimi Räikkönen touched the wall, broke his front wing, and caused the first crash of the season by losing control of his Alfa Romeo at the exit of the second turn. But Fred Vasseur’s team confirms with Antonio Giovinazzi’s 13th place in FP2 that they are ready to be part of the fierce battle in the midfield.

Williams and Haas engage in battle.

Mick Schumacher’s first official day as an F1 driver ended in 18th place in FP2, ahead of Nicholas Latifi’s Williams. A reason for satisfaction for the son of the seven-time world champion.

With Alexandre Gyr