Official 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix Thread ***SPOILERS***

[Piginapoke]

A new F1 season is ahead of us already and the new regulations have produced some stunning cars and potentially a closer field.

So many key questions for the first round, but it will be interesting to see how the different concepts work (particularly Red Bull, Mercedes and Williams), how George rates against Lewis and if the Ferrari revival is real, but there really is interest in every team.

I thought we might try having a poll in the race threads for 2022, so we'll know who is the PH favourite for the win. Please vote and also let me know if it’s worthwhile continuing.

Here we go again, and here’s to another great season

Date(s): Friday 18 March to Sunday 20 March 2022.

UK Broadcast Timings (and local time)

All sessions are live on Sky F1. Qualifying and the race are shown as highlights on Channel 4.





Live timing for all sessions available here:

https://www.formula1.com/en/f1-live.html

Lap times, PU component use, technical reports and Stewards' decisions for the weekend will appear here:

https://www.fia.com/events/fia-formula-one-world-c...

Weather forecast:

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/forecast/thev...

Tyre options:

Pirelli are bringing the hardest 3 compounds to Bahrain. The old Q2 tyre rule is scrapped for 2022.



2021 race result:



2021 Race Highlights:

https://youtu.be/QuBlV0dixMo

Edited by Piginapoke on Friday 11th March 06:43

Edited by Piginapoke on Friday 11th March 06:43

[garythesign]

Thanks for continuing to start these threads.

Not lng until the start now

[gl20]

As mostly a lurker in the F1 forum, this is the most excited I’ve been about a new season, possibly ever.

While I get the frustration re the last race of last year (let’s not go there) and the feeling amongst diehards that it’s become ‘all about the show’ F1 has slowly dragged me back in after being an avid viewer from around 85 to early 2000s before the refuelling era just got too boring and I lost interest. For the last few years I have just listened on the radio but can see myself getting a few Now TV passes if you can still access live coverage that way?

[HustleRussell]

I voted for my namesake!

Would love one of the Ferrari drivers to take it. Ferrari traditionally go well in Bahrain too.

Watching the testing today I reckon that we will see more driver errors, forced and unforced with these cars. Lots of front locking which turn 10 is terrible for.

[kambites]

Hopefully someone new will be at or near the front, but with that new Mercedes packaging, I've a nasty feeling they're going to disappear of down the road so I voted Hamilton.

[Piginapoke]

I've gone Russell. The merc looks fast, and I think he'll be keen to put a marker down. Hamilton is also often a slow starter.

[jimPH]

Danny Ric.

The car will suit him and eknow he can drive, so he'll be keen to put that to rights. McLaren seem to be sticking to the plan.

[Piginapoke]

jimPH said:

Danny Ric.

The car will suit him and eknow he can drive, so he'll be keen to put that to rights. McLaren seem to be sticking to the plan.

Vote!

[TheDeuce]

Interesting poll results so far.. No faith at all in the new RB car as no votes for either driver!?

I fully understand the faith shown for Mercedes new car, they've definitely innovated again

[Sandpit Steve]

Piginapoke said:

I've gone Russell. The merc looks fast, and I think he'll be keen to put a marker down. Hamilton is also often a slow starter.

First of all, thanks for starting the race threads and keep up the good work.

A good point about Lewis starting slowly. Valtteri often got the better of him for the first couple of races - although against that, George has a new team to integrate into this year, the car is completely new to everyone and Lewis disapprered completely for the winter which he’s not done before. I voted LH, but want to see close and fair racing.

[kambites]

In the long run I think Russell might get the measure of Hamilton, but I think it's probably too much to expect him to beat him in his first race for the team.

[Nampahc Niloc]

I’ve gone for Sainz. This is a big step for be, backing a Ferrari driver. With the exception of the confusing feelings I felt when Raikkonen was driving for then, I’ve been staunchly anti Ferrari.

Edit: Should specify Kimi’s first stint.

[cherryowen]

Piginapoke said:

I've gone Russell. The merc looks fast, and I think he'll be keen to put a marker down. Hamilton is also often a slow starter.

+1

FWIW, I'm also reminded of "ugly" cars doing well (and the new Merc is proper fugly), such as the Brabham "Fan" car and various Chaparral stuff.

[CanAm]

Nampahc Niloc said:

I’ve gone for Sainz. This is a big step for be, backing a Ferrari driver. With the exception of the confusing feelings I felt when Raikkonen was driving for then, I’ve been staunchly anti Ferrari.

Edit: Should specify Kimi’s first stint.

As above but adding Felipe Massa.

[PhilAsia]

Great to see these posts back again Piginapoke! I was removed from the last Abu Spoiler for some reason. I think I know who but if he had asked what "cu*t" was, I could have told him it was CURT (hence the removal of the consonant not the vowel).

But hey! New season....

I voted Lando, purely because he is my wife's choice and to recharge her interest since her disappointment from the you-know-what-thingy.

Here's to a great season!!

Edited by PhilAsia on Friday 11th March 04:19

[Nampahc Niloc]

CanAm said:

Nampahc Niloc said:

I’ve gone for Sainz. This is a big step for be, backing a Ferrari driver. With the exception of the confusing feelings I felt when Raikkonen was driving for then, I’ve been staunchly anti Ferrari.

Edit: Should specify Kimi’s first stint.

As above but adding Felipe Massa.

I forgot about that. Those were some confusing and conflicted years for me.

[tight fart]

The one thing for sure about testing so far is “we ain’t seen nothing yet”
I don’t believe that the cars that are bouncing could finish at racing speed.
We haven’t seen anybody attempt a race sim.
I’ll put a £1 on Albon (& £10 on Hamilton)

[velocemitch]

Looking forward to this, I reckon it’s going to be great season. I’d love to see George take the win, but I can’t like Mercedes as a team for some reason. Nor Red Bull anymore.

[Gad-Westy]

By my reckoning

20% of the grid have won a WDC
50% of the grid have won a race

Does that seem quite high to anyone else? There are also 2-3 drivers on the grid who have not yet won a race who might well have done before the season is out.

Despite being utterly fed up with the pantomime at the end of last season, I can't help being really excited about this.

Edited by Gad-Westy on Friday 11th March 15:06

[TheDeuce]

Shaping up to be a cracking start to the season with the varied car designs. I'm not sure many teams are getting what they hoped from pre season practice either so I expect a few slow starters at the beginning of the season.