You know, I am rather disappointed - you see following the last race in China, the one where team-mates fell out with each other again and the world took some time to point and laugh at Pastor Maldonado. Well, it all went quiet, no arguments in the media, no team principles stepping up and telling the world what discussions had taken place behind the garage shutters. We haven't even been apprised of what Bernie and Toto spent so much time discussing throughout the weekend... although I might have something to do with the comment Bernie made about Toto being responsible for "Killing F1" implying it would be eventually carved into his tombstone... which was a little on the excessive side. To sum up how confusingly sedate the brief transition from Shanghai to Sakhir has been - there was even a comment from Red Bull professing allegiance to Renault and encouraging collaboration in recovering the performance losses as a team... I wonder if Bernie has been round the garages and told everyone to stop being so argumentative... no fun... Even in the air of turbulence that usually surrounds the upcoming Bahrain GP, things have been rather quiet - there was a report of 21 activists of some form being arrested in some kind of pre-emptive effort by the authorities. But there was no guarantee they were actually going to do anything disruptive.
So with things on the quiet side it might be a good time to analyse another one of Bernie's mad ideas that he suggested prior to the Chinese GP. This one involves creating a separate formula in parallel to F1 for female drivers, the crazy gnome didn't specify the chassis' he intends to use or their comparable performance. Depending if I find time and get round to it, there will be a separate post on the rational and realism behind the idea - pointing out why it is just the product Bernie's strange view of the world. But in short, it is a bit mad isn't it - there is no need for some form of segregation the likes of Bietske Visser, Simona Di Silvestro and Danica Patrick all compete against their male counter parts and are by far and away not brushed aside in the process. Simona scored a top five finish in the most recent Indycar event in Louisiana - I didn't actually see the race as it was on the same night I couldn't write up the Chinese GP race so circumstances may have been involved. But that aside demonstrates that there is no requirement for separation, just more competitors joining and taking part at the junior level in F4,F3 GP3 and so on. Sponsorship needs to be available, because it is very limited at present - for both genders.
Sakhir
Well despite being another of those omnipresent Tilke engineered creations it is a world apart from the last one we endured in China. Instead of being a circuit crafted on the back of some mad artistic idea this one was put together after Herman Tilke was locked in a shed with only a ruler and a protractor, if we felt generous he was allowed to use a set square as well. Because the Bahrain international circuit is all angles and straight lines - there are a couple of token curved sections to create the illusion that something other than a primary school geometry set was used to complete the design... with the pair of compasses removed, because Tilke probably can't be trusted with pointy objects. Despite these potential facts, and a surrounding landscape which is about as exciting as a bread sandwich, and just as plain the track is quite good. Which is inexplicable because it certainly doesn't conform to the simplicity that works for Austria, Australia and Canada and it doesn't have the big presence of Spa or Suzuka. It is just bland but functional and very effective - 2014 delivered arguably the best race of the entire season.
You'd be excused of thinking that Tilke used his geometry set to build something after seeing a scrawling about the future plans for DRS because there are straights a plenty. The main straight is monolithic - not quite the length of China's back straight - but a considerable piece of tarmac, leading into the turn one hairpin. This hairpin feeds into a pair of angular corners designed to allow battles to continue all the way to turn four, which worked out marvellously for the outstanding Mercedes battle this time last season. A good exit from turn four can lead to another re-pass, might be worth noting the from the exit of turn one to turn four is not a DRS zone and the racing was just as good without it.
The start of the middle sector features one of the token curved sections and a little bit of an elevation change as the track descends through a series of quick sweepers down to hairpin number three... Originality isn't that possible when the majority of the track was designed with a ruler and a set-square - but it does make for more overtaking opportunities which were capitalised on in the great battle that took place behind the Mercedes duel involving Williams and Force India which ultimately was won by Perez. One hairpin leads to another in the second part of the middle sector which is a little unnecessary - I can't help but think that Tilke was given a number of corners to stick to and started folding the track in on itself.
The final sector is a little more pacey and purposeful - with something that seems out of place on a Tilke track... a pair of brilliant corners as the track climbs up it's highest point. The elevation change conceals the turn in point for the second of the two corners which sits on top of the crest. The penultimate corner is just there to funnel the cars onto the back straight - because there was always room for one more straight.. But it opens up another, less obvious overtaking spot in the final corner. According to the track map there is one more corner, but it is doesn't count...
The Form Guide
It was Bahrain 2014 when Mercedes turn the power up to 11 and opening the biggest can of F1 flavoured Whoop-ass and destroyed the competition. Behind them everyone was fighting over third place - Williams, Force India and Red Bull all trying to take the single remaining podium spot. Ferrari were being passed by everything on the myriad of straights - setting in motion the series of complaints which lead to Luca Di Montezemelo and Stefano Dominicali's departures from the red team. It became one of the pivotal moments in the early part of the season. Will lightening strike twice - I rather hope so.
After the post-race comments in China I envisage and hope that Rosberg is planning to arrive in Bahrain ready for vengeance, oh how I'd like some vengeance - as long as he doesn't ask Maldonado for advice on how to conduct this scheduled vengeance. The battle in 2014 was marvellous, lets have round two thank you very much. Behind Mercedes it could be Ferrari vs Williams for that third place - Force India won't be joining in the battle this year. I suspect the gap between Ferrari and Williams will be a lot closer than it was in China where I couldn't be certain Williams were actually in the race given their lack of TV coverage and general activity. So, all being well it create a four car fight for third place.
The mid-field should, in threory contain everyone else - many straight don't bode well for the Renault powered teams and may fall into the same trap Ferrari did last season. Red Bull will be probably have to spend most of the time trying not to be embarrassed by a pair of excitable youths in their junior team, from upstaging the main squad. All of this will probably taking place behind Lotus and Sauber who I imagine could have the beating of the Renault powered cars. Force India, despite having the stronger engine package might just be behind Red Bull and Toro Rosso on pace, but close enough to get involved in the battles.
Out back McLaren have been quoted as saying that Honda are planning on turning up the power of the power unit this weekend, which means they might be aiming at escaping Q1 for the first time this season. Potentially at the expense of a Force India, or two. Manor on the other hand may get to the end of the race as their car using the more established 2014 engine is more reliable than it's competitors. But it will be a long way of the pace - until their real 2015 car is completed with the new engine installed they will be anchored to the final row of the grid.
Bahrain 2014 was a masterpiece, an indication that moving the race to a night event suggesting that the floodlights unleashes the 'crazy' - will 2015 be more of the same. I'd like to think so.
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