The Official 2015 Bahrain Grand Prix Thread **Spoilers**

[stevesingo]

Only 5 days 'til FP 1 you know.

BBC Viewing Timings

Friday 17th

FP-1 1155-1335 Red Button

FP-2 1555-1735 Red Button

Saturday 18th

FP-3 1255-1405 BBC2

Qualifying 1530-1705 BBC1

Sunday 19th

Race 1500-1805 BBC1

Edited by stevesingo on Monday 13th April 13:21

[Jasandjules]

And I am looking forward to it. The downside is the "racing" tends not to be as hot as the air temps.

[greygoose]

Can't see anything but a Hamilton win, hopefully something will happen to generate some interest though.

[Targarama]

Hmm, Mercedes had problems with the hot conditions in Malaysia. Maybe this hot race will give Seb and Kimi a podium. Seb 1st, Kimi 2nd, Lewis an oversteering/Rosberg dominating third.

[troc]

Predictions (for every race this season):

1. Hamilton wins
2: Rosberg doesn't and blames Hamilton
3. Mclaren are still crap
4. RedBull blame Renault for something
5. Maldonado crashes

[Sixpackpert]

Nico's had some upgrades.

http://www.bornrich.com/mercedes-benz-style-inspir...

[Crafty_]

Same tyre compounds as China, so last weekends running will be very useful for reference data. Mercedes will be encouraged by the tyres lasting better than they expected (they were going to go soft med, med but went soft, soft, med) and managed to stop a couple of laps later too. Nevertheless Ferrari could still be a real threat.

Renault are crapping themselves because they don't think the engines will hold together well. Whilst slow at least they had (better) reliability last year.

Similar lap distance to China but a couple of seconds quicker around Bahrain. At a quick look seems to be fewer high speed corners, will RB continue to have brake problems ?

The circuit might suit the Williams well with several long straights, maybe they can be a bit closer to the leaders.

[Flipatron]

Alonso currently 1000/1 for the world championship, I'll take those odds.

I figure the McLaren doesn't look half bad and the engine is currently turned down. I'm happy to waste a fiver on a McLaren/Honda/Alonso combo.

[Europa1]

Jasandjules said:

And I am looking forward to it. The downside is the "racing" tends not to be as hot as the air temps.

Fingers crossed it is like last year's. I particularly enjoyed the fact that Hamilton and Rosberg had an absolute ding dong, bare knuckle fight of a race after Bernie Ecclestone and Luca di Montezelomo had been bhing about "taxi driver racing".

[joefraser]

troc said:

Predictions (for every race this season):

1. Hamilton wins
2: Rosberg doesn't and blames Hamilton
3. Mclaren are still crap
4. RedBull blame Renault for something
5. Maldonado crashes

This gave me a lol on the metro home, thank you

[Jasandjules]

Europa1 said:

Fingers crossed it is like last year's. I particularly enjoyed the fact that Hamilton and Rosberg had an absolute ding dong, bare knuckle fight of a race after Bernie Ecclestone and Luca di Montezelomo had been bhing about "taxi driver racing".

Yes, that is about the best hope we have. BUT I suspect Nico will be 2.5 seconds behind Lewis after the third lap...

[suffolk009]

Is there any real likely hood of it not being HAM, ROS, VET for this race and the rest of the season?

[RobGT81]

suffolk009 said:

Is there any real likely hood of it not being HAM, ROS, VET for this race and the rest of the season?

You might get some spots of RAI.

[MartG]

Do Pirelli make a tyre with tread suitable for sand dunes ?

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/sandstorm-hits-b...

[Crafty_]

Crikey, big clean up job needed this week!

I wonder if the teams will be concerned about the dust entering the engines

[MartG]

Crafty_ said:

Crikey, big clean up job needed this week!

I wonder if the teams will be concerned about the dust entering the engines

Good point - do they run with air filters these days ?

[Speed Badger]

Does anyone else secretly hope that both Mercedes take each other out, leaving a decent race?

[Targarama]

Speed Badger said:

Does anyone else secretly hope that both Mercedes take each other out, leaving a decent race?

No, but I do hope for them to qualify way down and have to race a bit. Lewis enjoys this anyway.

[confucuis]

Speed Badger said:

Does anyone else secretly hope that both Mercedes take each other out, leaving a decent race?

Yes because I don't believe Hamilton will be caught any other way unfortunately!

[benters]

troc said:

Predictions (for every race this season):

1. Hamilton wins
2: Rosberg doesn't and blames Hamilton
3. Mclaren are still crap
4. RedBull blame Renault for something
5. Maldonado crashes

genius. . .well said sir