*** Official Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix ***

[eps]

Don't think there's a thread yet..

Only live on Sky this time.

FP1 is 4 days and 2 hours away!

All times BST

FP1 - 12:00
FP2 - 16:00

FP2 - 13:00
Q - 16:00

Race 16:00

[Wanta996Gotta]

Bahrain all about power so Mercedes 1-2 again then same at China. Spain is when we will first know if the others can catch up. I also dont think that Mercedes has shown its full cards yet as there has been no reason to.

[IN51GHT]

Really want to see what Williams come up with during a "normal" qualifying session, still think they are under delivering slightly, expecting regular top 6 finishes

[eps]

Previous winners...

Year Driver Constructor
2013 Sebastian Vettel Austria Red Bull-Renault
2012 Sebastian Vettel Austria Red Bull-Renault
2011 Cancelled Report
2010 Fernando Alonso Italy Ferrari
2009 Jenson Button United Kingdom Brawn-Mercedes
2008 Felipe Massa Italy Ferrari
2007 Felipe Massa Italy Ferrari
2006 Fernando Alonso France Renault
2005 Fernando Alonso France Renault
2004 Michael Schumacher Italy Ferrari

So the only non WDC winner is Felipe

[eps]

IN51GHT said:

Really want to see what Williams come up with during a "normal" qualifying session, still think they are under delivering slightly, expecting regular top 6 finishes

It will be interesting to see what the harmony, or lack of it is like in the Williams team from now.. I suspect that it was all smiles and jovial before but I guess that Bottas now knows that he's not going to get any favours from Massa. Or was it just a storm in a teacup?

[IN51GHT]

eps said:

It will be interesting to see what the harmony, or lack of it is like in the Williams team from now.. I suspect that it was all smiles and jovial before but I guess that Bottas now knows that he's not going to get any favours from Massa. Or was it just a storm in a teacup?

Massa did the right thing in my eyes, Bottas was never going to get past Button so it cost the team nothing.

[eps]

IN51GHT said:

Massa did the right thing in my eyes, Bottas was never going to get past Button so it cost the team nothing.

I agree, from a Drivers perspective he did the right thing, but this early in the season he can no not expect favours later in the season from Bottas. At some point he may be behind Valterri and from now on he's not going to be able to get past. We shall see!

[eps]

What about RBR? Do we expect them to do well again? Will their Fuel Flow Sensor fail again?

[Munter]

eps said:

What about RBR? Do we expect them to do well again? Will their Fuel Flow Sensor fail again?

There's a bit of me that wonders if the fuel flow sensor is being mounted right up against the hottest things, in the most inhospitable part of the car. Aww, it's melted again... Or is it's location fixed in the specification.

[Jasandjules]

Munter said:

There's a bit of me that wonders if the fuel flow sensor is being mounted right up against the hottest things, in the most inhospitable part of the car. Aww, it's melted again... Or is it's location fixed in the specification.

I wondered about this too - tight fit in the RBR car it seems.

[Exige77]

Munter said:

eps said:

What about RBR? Do we expect them to do well again? Will their Fuel Flow Sensor fail again?

There's a bit of me that wonders if the fuel flow sensor is being mounted right up against the hottest things, in the most inhospitable part of the car. Aww, it's melted again... Or is it's location fixed in the specification.

I believe its mounted inside the fuel cell (tank).

[Steamer]

Daniel Ricciardo - a further 10 place penalty for still looking happy

[Scuffers]

Exige77 said:

Munter said:

eps said:

What about RBR? Do we expect them to do well again? Will their Fuel Flow Sensor fail again?

There's a bit of me that wonders if the fuel flow sensor is being mounted right up against the hottest things, in the most inhospitable part of the car. Aww, it's melted again... Or is it's location fixed in the specification.

I believe its mounted inside the fuel cell (tank).

it's not inside, but very close to the fuel cell... (they are not fuel proof)

also, how come Vettel's is fine yet we are told several have failed on ricardo's car?

does anybody actually believe they have had one fail?

[MGJohn]

IN51GHT said:

Really want to see what Williams come up with during a "normal" qualifying session, still think they are under delivering slightly, expecting regular top 6 finishes

Definitely under achieved. Not all down to their own drivers or team errors either. Whatever performance status their cars had before the first race and at one point it looked very favourable, I fear the rest have caught up by now so the moment is gone sadly. Hope I'm wrong. They can still mix it around finish places 6-10 I feel but, will need more improvement to maintain let alone better that.

[MGJohn]

Steamer said:

Daniel Ricciardo - a further 10 place penalty for still looking happy

Doubt that will wipe that big smile off his chops ..

[Doink]

I'm wondering how long it'll be before the teams start allowing the engines to rev more, yes theres a 15000rpm limit but it appears most teams are only revving to 12000 for reasons of reliability, also with more revs more noise

[Mermaid]

IN51GHT said:

Massa did the right thing in my eyes, Bottas was never going to get past Button so it cost the team nothing.

The team was wrong to ask him IMO.

[Mikey G]

Doink said:

I'm wondering how long it'll be before the teams start allowing the engines to rev more, yes theres a 15000rpm limit but it appears most teams are only revving to 12000 for reasons of reliability, also with more revs more noise

Nothing to do with reliability, there is very little to gain after 10500rpm due to the fuel flow restrictions..

[Steamer]

Mermaid said:

IN51GHT said:

Massa did the right thing in my eyes, Bottas was never going to get past Button so it cost the team nothing.

The team was wrong to ask him IMO.

Good for Massa - cost the team nothing.. apart from maybe annoying their drivers. Bad call from the team.

[Scuffers]

Doink said:

I'm wondering how long it'll be before the teams start allowing the engines to rev more, yes theres a 15000rpm limit but it appears most teams are only revving to 12000 for reasons of reliability, also with more revs more noise

unlikely to happen, peak power will be at the lowest RPM of max fuel flow, ie. 10,500, then as frictional and pumping looses increase, power will slowly tail off, so they will only rev them as far as they need to ensure over 10,500Rpm in the next gear, looking at the massa clip ealier, that's a bit short of 12,000 by the looks of it.

remember, these regs were written around a 12,000 limit, this was only upped latter with no other changes.