The Bahrain Grand Prix at night, under the lights is one of the seasons most exciting events, as this Formula One middle east event means travelling 7,520 miles to Bahrain from Melbourne, Australia, where Scuderia Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel scored a splendid win for the Maranello team in the first race of the 2018 seasosn.
When one thinks of a desert, everyone thinks of sand, but in this small island state on the Persian Gulf, the terrain is predominantly rocky and explosives were required to prepare the ground for the race track. This Grand Prix has been on the calendar every year since 2004 with the exception of 2011 when it was cancelled due to civil unrest. Occasionally, it has been the first race of the season, while this time it kicks off the first pair of back to back races of the very long 2018 season, with the 2018 Chinese Grand Prix following on just one weekend later. That places extra demands on the race team and its logistical support. The Scuderia’s advance party arrived in the Gulf over the Easter weekend.
The Sakhir circuit is not far from the capital, Manama, in fact the whole island is not much more than 50 kilometres in length and the route from town involves a motorway, followed by wide flag-lined streets. The track itself is also very wide – over 20 metres at some points – making for a variety of racing lines. The circuit layout includes pretty much every type of corner, but the main feature is heavy braking. In 2010, the 6.3 km long “endurance” track was used but it was not particularly popular with the drivers. Apart from the glass conical tower, what stands out are the floodlights that light up the track for qualifying and the race ever since the GP became a night race back in 2014. Manama lacks the glitz of the other Emirate capitals, but there is a contrast between the old quarter with its markets and the modern skyscrapers. As for the weather, there is no guarantee of sunny conditions all weekend, even if the temperatures are unlikely to dip below the 30 degree mark. And don’t think it never rains in the desert here, as it did just that on the Sunday of the first race.
Bahrain being a power on circuit with high fuel consumption and drivers at full throttle for 68% of each lap, the race simulations in practice and qualifying should settle who has the best pace between Formula One’s top two teams.
2018 Bahrain Grand Prix: weather forecast and timetable
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