Grand Prix 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

F1 is back!

After the excitement and controversy of 2021, the 2022 season gets underway at the Bahrain International Circuit this weekend. We have a "traditional" practice and qualifying, so no sprint race, with both qualifying and the race at 3.00 pm UK time. A late evening start in Bahrain which will run on in to the night.

What has testing (and the not testing session) told us? Personally, I have no idea which cars are fast or slow. I expect we will see the usual suspects at the front come qualie and the race, but this new formula has thrown up some very interesting aero developments, with each team pursuing quite different routes to try and make their car the fastest.

There are some new drivers, some team changes, and, totally unexpectedly, the return of Kevin Magnusson at Haas.

Will 2022 be another Hamilton/Verstappen battle for the Championship, or will we see George Russell, and the drivers at Ferrari and McLaren getting involved? I have my doubts that any of the other teams will be pushing for race wins, but I do anticipate the mid-field will be closer and more competitive. Don't be surprised if one team drops in a major change at some point in the season and leapfrogs up the grid as they get to grips with the new design rules.

It promises to be an exciting season. Hopefully the changes the FIA have made to the stewarding and race control personnel will help overcome some of the rather unpleasant "lobbying" we saw from many of the team in 2021. We certainly don't need any more moments of interpretation of the rule book from the officials at any of the races, either at the beginning or end of the season.

FP1 starts at midday on 18th, enjoy.
 
But its great Daniel Riccardio back although that Free Practise is going to be huge for him to try claw back something from 3 days of testing he missed

always excited at the start of a new F1 season like a kid at christmas even at the start of my 24th yr, , but im delighted Bahrain GP is here to mainly put 2021 behind us & see these new 2022 rules which is the elephant in the room because they cant fail. as if dont improve racing & make following in dirty air issue much easier, F1 is in quite the state

also funnily ive seen a stat that says that you dont want to win the opening race of a F1 season, because since 2010 only season openers that have gone to win the season opener in 2011, 2015 & 2016
 
also 1 thing im glad about 1 of the race director has decided he's going to be stern & no nonsense seemingly. which im all for because Masi tried to be their friend & got took advantage of. so hopefully the teams will be learning this the hard way


A clearer line has been drawn over track limits in the first instruction from the new race director to drivers. Last year’s three paragraphs of guidance on track limits have been replaced with a single instruction from Wittich which states: “In accordance with the provisions of Article 33.3, the white lines define the track edges.”

Article 33.3 of the Formula 1 Sporting Regulations compels drivers to “make every reasonable effort to use the track at all times and may not leave the track without a justifiable reason.”
The article further adds drivers “will be judged to have left the track if no part of the car remains in contact with it and, for the avoidance of doubt, any white lines defining the track edges are considered to be part of the track but the kerbs are not.”
 
very interesting now that portpoising is killing mercedes pace it seems. but whatever it is its not looking good that halfway through FP1 both mercedes slower on the mediums than the Ferraris on the hards. then with 10 mins to go Russell slower on the softs than both the Ferraris on the Mediums.
 
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RankDriverNumberTeamFastest LapLaps
1
France
Pierre Gasly GAS
10Alpha Tauri1:34.19323
2
Monaco
Charles Leclerc LEC
16Ferrari1:34.55722
3
Spain
Carlos Sainz Jnr SAI
55Ferrari1:34.61123
4
Great Britain
George RussellRUS
63Mercedes1:34.62923
5
Netherlands
Max Verstappen VER
1Red Bull1:34.74222
6
Canada
Lance Stroll STR
18Racing Point1:34.81422
7
Great Britain
Lewis Hamilton HAM
44Mercedes1:34.94317
8
Spain
Fernando Alonso ALO
14Renault1:35.00014
9
Japan
Yuki Tsunoda TSU
22Alpha Tauri1:35.02820
10
Mexico
Sergio Perez PER
11Red Bull1:35.05023
11
China
Guanyu Zhou Guanyu Zhou
24Alfa Romeo1:35.05320
12
France
Esteban Ocon OCO
31Renault1:35.15115
13
Canada
Nicholas Latifi LAT
6Williams1:35.64415
14
Germany
Nico Hulkenberg HUL
27Racing Point1:35.81523
15
Thailand
Alexander Albon ALB
23Williams1:35.92317
16
Great Britain
Lando Norris NOR
4McLaren1:36.30422
17
Australia
Daniel Ricciardo RIC
3McLaren1:36.40220
18
Germany
Mick Schumacher MSC
47Haas1:36.53623
19
Denmark
Kevin Magnussen MAG
20Haas1:36.80421
20
Finland
Valtteri Bottas BOT
77Alfa Romeonot available-22
 
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if the mock qualifying times in FP2 are to set the tone for the season. compared Hamilton v Verstappen controversy we have seen nothing yet with Leclerc V Verstappen upcoming. as that Hamilton V verstappen was Fire & Ice.

but Leclerc V Verstappen is Fire & Fire as in 2019 when there was nothing at stake bar a race win as they were nowhere near a title. it boiled over in Austria & Britain

Anticipation Popcorn GIF
 
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A tip of the hat in the direction of Haas who, given all of the stuff that's gone over the last few weeks, have done a decent job so far.
 
McLaren look poor at the moment. All that testing promise seems to have evaporated.

11th in underperforming car is still a good car. im hoping that like Mercedes the performance is there & will be better on smoother tracks

A tip of the hat in the direction of Haas who, given all of the stuff that's gone over the last few weeks, have done a decent job so far.
yeah they look fantastic & from what ive been hearing the Haas team of course think whats happening in Ukraine is horrible. but if there was ever a silver lining. it meant mazepin was dumped out of that team. because as from what ive been hearing. morale through the roof as nobody liked Mazepin & was causing horrible tension inside the team
 
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