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.

 

[F1Brits_90]

the best driver on the grid has a crap car which he is somehow sneaking to a podium.

im wondering will this finally get Hamilton credit he deserved widely because as ive mentioned a few times in last 5 years he in my opinion has had best car once in 2020 & has overachieved to get some of the results. he has like yesterday. but because Mercedes are winning he doesnt get credit he deserves

 

[The Artist.....]

im wondering will this finally get Hamilton credit he deserved widely because as ive mentioned a few times in last 5 years he in my opinion has had best car once in 2020 & has overachieved to get some of the results. he has like yesterday. but because Mercedes are winning he doesnt get credit he deserves

Hamilton is a very strange driver.

When his car is bad, he can drag it to places (particularly in qualifying) where it has no rights to be, and can dominate a team-mate. However, when his car is good, he doesn't seem to be able to be able to demonstrate the same level of domination of his team-mate.

(cf 2009, 2012, 2022(?))

The reason this is so strange is that the "bad car" is normally only relative - compared with the other cars on the grid. There has never been a perfect car - but I suspect that if you had given Hamilton the 2016 Mercedes in 2017, he would have outperformed Rosberg, even though in 2016, they were evenly matched.

 

[RasputinLives]

Yeah I can see that. I think Lewis clicks into another gear when the odds are against him

 

[FB]

There's a rumour that the crowd noise we "enjoy" during races in places like Bahrain may not be real.

 

[The Artist.....]

There's a rumour that the crowd noise we "enjoy" during races in places like Bahrain may not be real.

Really?

Were they recording the crowd noise from the Lewis Hamilton fan-club yesterday then?

In 2019, there were 97,000 people in the crowd at Bahrain, mostly centred around the start-finish straight, so it wouldn't surprise me if the sound was real. Had this been somewhere like Phoenix, I'd believe you!

 

[cider_and_toast]

Of all the hilarious moments yesterday, Verstappen going batshit with his team was made even funnier when he had the battery issue.

Words to the effect of:

MV "Now what's wrong with the battery?"

Team "Nothing mate, keep going"

MV "fuck fuck battery issue fucking car fuck this, fuck that"

Team "er yeah, box the car if you can make it back"

 

[F1Brits_90]

Hamilton is a very strange driver.

When his car is bad, he can drag it to places (particularly in qualifying) where it has no rights to be, and can dominate a team-mate. However, when his car is good, he doesn't seem to be able to be able to demonstrate the same level of domination of his team-mate.

(cf 2009, 2012, 2022(?))

The reason this is so strange is that the "bad car" is normally only relative - compared with the other cars on the grid. There has never been a perfect car - but I suspect that if you had given Hamilton the 2016 Mercedes in 2017, he would have outperformed Rosberg, even though in 2016, they were evenly matched.

but would that be its law of diminish returns in 2014, 2015 2016 & 2020. mercedes could finish 1-2 most weekends. but i would almost certainly he is better when his back is against the wall. that drive back to 5th in monza 2020 was impressive

2009 once the car was sorted its problems in that 2nd half of the season, nobody scored more points than him,
2015 was arguably hamilton greatest title triumph,
2018 won the world title utterly dominated bottas who finished 5th winless compared to Hamilton's 11

2012 & 2022 i think so far it was 2 very good drivers & will be hard to dominate

2016 i think it was more bad luck & unreliability from hamilton that lost him the championship, than rosberg skill. because vague memories he had 5 issues in qualifying that left him 10th or worse & even then that engine blown that meant instead of 6 pt lead he was 23pts behind

 

[F1Brits_90]

Of all the hilarious moments yesterday, Verstappen going batshit with his team was made even funnier when he had the battery issue.

Words to the effect of:

MV "Now what's wrong with the battery?"

Team "Nothing mate, keep going"

MV "**** **** battery issue ****ing car **** this, **** that"

Team "er yeah, box the car if you can make it back"

more brilliant words from radio "its not a reliability issue"

 

[Dartman]

It may not be a reliability issue just a design failure, or they were following Colin Chapman's design logic and got it a few laps wrong

 

[vintly]

There's a rumour that the crowd noise we "enjoy" during races in places like Bahrain may not be real.

Interesting, I thought that sounded odd at the time. Sounded like the same generic wave of sound whenever there was an overtake like they were using for the footie when the stands were empty.

 

[Il_leone]

Well I actually sat and watched this one so must have been good. Well done to LeClerc because that was a very cool drive under a lot of pressure.

I do have to say though (old man rant) that whilst they were really trying to push how big the rule changes were on us in the race build up (the biggest since the last biggest. Something to tell your grandchildren apparently) it all seemed a very familiar situation to me. Adrian Newy has built a really fast car that breaks easily, Mclaren have come out of a big rule change unprepared and already talking about the huge development steps they are going to take - and the best driver on the grid has a crap car which he is somehow sneaking to a podium.

All seems very familiar. I like it but it familiar

A fast and fragile car because Red Bull could not spend anymore money due to budget cap?

You should post your last line on Facebook to everyone who thinks Hamilton can't do anything in a crap car and only wins in the best car nonsense and Verstappen is a God apparently..the Verstappen fans have gone

 

[Il_leone]

Of all the hilarious moments yesterday, Verstappen going batshit with his team was made even funnier when he had the battery issue.

Words to the effect of:

MV "Now what's wrong with the battery?"

Team "Nothing mate, keep going"

MV "**** **** battery issue ****ing car **** this, **** that"

Team "er yeah, box the car if you can make it back"

Plaster this on Facebook to those who think only Hamilton sulks and blames everyone when things don't go well

 

[FB]

Anyone surprised at how much quicker Charles was than Carlos?

 

[cider_and_toast]

Anyone surprised at how much quicker Charles was than Carlos?

Yeah. It was a bit of an eye-opener.

I think Carlos admitted that he had a bit of homework to do around his pace. He seemed to have higher tyre degradation which suggests he went down a different set up route. Whether that was his or the teams idea, who knows?

Carlos certainly had the a better season than Charles last year so I doubt there's any internal politics at play but this is Ferrari we're talking about.

 

[RasputinLives]

Kind of but not really. I always thought Sainz was going there to be number 2 to LeClerc. I don't think he thinks that but I think its probably what Ferrari management were thinking.

 

[F1Brits_90]

Interesting, I thought that sounded odd at the time. Sounded like the same generic wave of sound whenever there was an overtake like they were using for the footie when the stands were empty.

doesnt all cheers sounds the same. its not really accent dependent. but then its not something ive really thought of. but i wouldnt put past liberty media

Anyone surprised at how much quicker Charles was than Carlos?

i know that Carlos struggles with this new cars i think post qualifying he was amazed it was only a tenth. as he thought hearing his interview. if during your worse weekend as a Ferrari driver you are a comfortable 3rd for vast majority of the race & ended up in your highest finish for them & equal your highest finish of your career. imagine when he has the confidence & knowledge of how to drive this car

but sainz wouldn't surprise me if he won a championship as he's a very good driver. but he's not on the level of leclerc but very few are. sainz did beat leclerc but if either leclerc started Monaco & finished in the top 7 or won the British GP that he seemed to have in the bag until that inspired drive by Hamilton. he would be in front

 

[Il_leone]

Sainz was a stop gap for Schumacher Jnr and has proven more than that.

Ferrari have the best driver line up on the grid and they would be mad to change it.

Leclerc is Ferrari's golden boy to 2024 and maybe longer but there was no doubt just how fast he was from the moment he was Vettel's teammate

Sainz will be thereabouts even though he may not be as fast. I don't see Ferrari imploding like 1982 when Pironi double crossed Villeneuve at Imola...would it be strange it that did happen 40 years on

Sainz is not the type of driver that will stab you in the back

 

[cider_and_toast]

I don't see anyone suggesting that Sainz and Leclerc are going to stab eachother in the back.

 

[F1Brits_90]

I don't see anyone suggesting that Sainz and Leclerc are going to stab eachother in the back.

never say never in F1 2 "number 1" going for the title rarely if ever goes well

Il_leone i wouldnt be too sure on Schumacher jr just yet. because it too soon to say about his talent. 1 thing has never changed in f1. money/name or both gets you into f1 but talent will always get you into a winning car

 

[Il_leone]

never say never in F1 2 "number 1" going for the title rarely if ever goes well

Il_leone i wouldnt be too sure on Schumacher jr just yet. because it too soon to say about his talent. 1 thing has never changed in f1. money/name or both gets you into f1 but talent will always get you into a winning car

I just don't get the hype about Schumacher Jnr other than its bring back memories of his dad in a Ferrari