FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[sagi58]

 wrote:">Bahrain: heavy acceleration and braking

Maranello, 15 April – No sooner had the race in China ended that all the Formula One teams headed off for Bahrain, for the second part of the first back-to-back of the season. The weather awaiting the teams couldn’t be more different to that left behind in Shanghai.

“Sakhir is a very tough track, partly because of the weather, mainly the heat, and also because the circuit is technically demanding,” explains Simone Resta, Scuderia Ferrari’s Chief Designer, talking to ferrari.com. One of the main features of the circuit is the heavy acceleration and braking, factors that put the car under a lot of stress both in terms of traction coming out of the corners and when braking. Therefore the cooling system has to be the right size to ensure the discs are cooled properly.

Furthermore, the fact the Bahrain Grand Prix is, since last year, a night race, means that data from the first free practice session is less relevant as it takes place at a different time of day to qualifying and the race.

“Of the tracks that feature in the early part of the season, Sakhir is the one that most highlights the performance of the power unit, both from the V6 engine and from the hybrid part. However, we should not forget that speed down the straight is also influenced by the level of aerodynamic downforce used. In the early part of the season, each circuit feels new and we have to get an idea of what our performance level will be, not so much in outright terms, but when compared to that of our competitors.”

[sagi58]

 wrote:">Sebastian Vettel - A unique track

Sakhir, 16 April – Sebastian Vettel seems to like the challenge ahead of him and Scuderia Ferrari this weekend in Bahrain: “It’s another weekend on another track, with different conditions. I would say we can be happy with our season so far, but we must find confirmations.

This is also the first night race of the year, and it will be exciting, so let’s hope we have a good car. This track calls for power and good brakes system, because here we have long straights followed by heavy braking areas. To some respects it is a unique track, where finding a good pace is not always easy. It will be hot, but not as much as Malaysia, given the fact that we race at night. In any case, we have shown that our car can be good in bot cold and hot conditions, so we hope this trend will continue here. If we can look after our tyres we can put some pressure on the team ahead of us.

At the moment we know how strong Mercedes are, they have a very good package, but so do we, and we must make sure that we keep improving it to close the gap. Whatever is going on between the two Mercedes drivers does not affect us: we must look after ourselves, the rest is not in our hands”.

[sagi58]

 wrote:">Kimi Raikkonen – A track that makes the difference

Sakhir, 16 April – Kimi Raikkonen started talking about the Shanghai race on his Thursday press meeting, that took place at the Sakhir circuit. “In the last race in China we did our maximum” said the finnish driver. “It was the first race with no problems, but obvioulsly we want more and we’ll keep working to improve in every single area.The team is working very well, it’s a solid group of people that go in the same direction.

Every track is different, but the behavior of the car has been good in every place we’ve been and I don’t see reason why it shouldn’t be the same here. From tomorrow, we’ll go through our programme and we’ll see. Now it’s too early to make prediction about the weekend. Every year on the same track it’s slightly different and every car behaves in a different way.

The Bahrain track is nice, the layout allows you to overtake and this can make a big difference in the race. The second practice is much later than the first one and that’s when you can understand the situation a bit more. We have to do our best to have a clear weekend. We still have a lot of work to do if we want to do always better and fight for wins.”

[sagi58]

 wrote:">Friday analysis - do Ferrari have ‘dangerous’ pace?

The slippery nature of the Bahrain International Circuit played havoc in the first session, as everyone struggled for grip and experienced front brake locking. Things were better in the second session, but there were still plenty of cars seen to be running wide. What remained unclear after 180 minutes of running was just how big a threat Ferrari will pose to Mercedes this weekend. We take a team-by-team look at day one in Sakhir…

Ferrari
Kimi Raikkonen, 1m 37.827s, P1/1m 35.174s, P3
Sebastian Vettel, 1m 38.029s, P2/1m 35.277s, P4

Ferrari led FP1, with Raikkonen heading Vettel after the German lost most of the session as the team investigated a loss of power. In the afternoon they led again, but were overtaken as Mercedes hit their stride and were fastest on both the medium and the soft tyre. The gap on the former was only a tenth of a second however, and half a second on the latter, but the red cars’ race pace was very strong and the team believe they will be a strong factor in the race.

Late in FP2 Vettel had a brake problem as he came into Turn 1 and could not avoid tapping Perez’s Force India; that damaged his own front left wing endplate and caused a brief red flag as debris was cleared up, but neither driver was penalised after a stewards’ enquiry. Raikkonen, however, was reprimanded for leaving the pits in a potentially dangerous manner.
Analysis of all other teams

[sagi58]

Staff wrote:">Bahrain Grand Prix – Free Practice 1

Sakhir, 17 April – The fourth round of the Formula 1 World Championship got underway with the two Ferraris topping the first time sheet at the Sakhir circuit. Just a few days after the Chinese Grand Prix, the SF15-Ts of Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel were first and second in the first free practice. The two Ferrari men concentrated on the usual task of working on set-up, with Kimi quickest in 1.37.827 and Sebastian second with a 1.38.029. Third was Valtteri Bottas with a 1.38.390 in the Williams. Just a handful of laps for the Ferrari duo – 13 for Kimi and 12 for Sebastian- as they sat out much of the session in the pits, because the track is still very dusty. Vettel also had a sensor problem that had to be sorted out.

[sagi58]

Staff wrote:">Bahrain Grand Prix – Free Practice 2

Sakhir, 17 April – Nico Rosberg was fastest in the second free practice session for the Bahrain Grand Prix. Once the sun had set, the floodlights turned the Sakhir track from night to day, as the Mercedes driver did a 1.34.647 to beat his team-mate Lewis Hamilton (1.34.762.) Third was the Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen, who posted a 1.35.174, followed by Sebastian Vettel, who did a 1.35.277 in the other SF15-T. The German’s session came to a premature end after his front wing was damaged in a coming-together with the Force India of Sergio Perez. The Friday programme was thus completed, the second session providing valuable data, taking place as it did at the same time of day as qualifying and the race.

[sagi58]

Staff wrote:">Raikkonen - We can improve for tomorrow

Kimi Raikkonen:

“I still haven’t had a look at the lap times of the session, but I think we are not as good as we want to be. In the second session it was a bit tricky with the set-up, we had some problems with the handling and we struggled in a few places. This evening we’ll analyse all the data in order to improve and do a better job tomorrow. Having a clear qualifying makes life easier in the race. I don’t know if we can challenge Mercedes, tomorrow is another day, conditions can change and this plays a big part, so let’s wait and see.”

[sagi58]

Staff wrote:">Vettel - A good feeling, but…

Sebastian Vettel:

“I came out of the garage and had a problem. I hit the brakes but suddenly there was a blow and I couldn’t brake properly. Therefore I hit Sergio Perez in the corner. Of course I’m sorry, but I couldn’t do anything else in that moment. I was looking for Sergio to say sorry, but he was still sitting in the car. My fast lap was not perfect, but everything in the car feels good. Of course tonight it was quite different from this afternoon, as it was much colder. It’s hard to say if we got closer to Mercedes, everybody seemed to be closer to them but I’m sure they didn’t show everything today.

[sagi58]

Staff wrote:">Bahrain Grand Prix

Sakhir, 18 April – The Ferraris finished the final free practice session for the Bahrain Grand Prix in second and fourth places. Fastest was Lewis Hamilton, who posted a 1.34.599 in the Mercedes. Just a whisker slower was Sebastian Vettel in the SF15-T (1.34.668,) with the other Mercedes of Nico Rosberg next in 1.34.968, while Kimi Raikkonen was fourth with a 1.35.141.
During this final 60 minute session, the work centred on qualifying trim at the Sakhir circuit, with the Ferrari men alternating between the Medium and then Soft Pirelli compounds being used at this race.

[sagi58]

Staff wrote:">Seb on the front row. Vettel second fastest, Raikkonen fourth

Sakhir, 18 April – The SF15-Ts of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen will start the Bahrain Grand Prix from second and fourth spots on the grid respectively. At the end of today’s qualifying at the Sakhir circuit, where the temperature was around the 25 degree mark, pole position went to Lewis Hamilton who posted a 1.32.571 in his Mercedes. To claim his front row slot, Vettel did a 1.32.982, beating Nico Rosberg (1.33.129) in the other Mercedes. Raikkonen was fourth fastest with a 1.33.227 and therefore starts from the second row.

[sagi58]

Staff wrote:">Seb on the front row. Vettel second fastest, Raikkonen fourth

Sakhir, 18 April – The SF15-Ts of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen will start the Bahrain Grand Prix from second and fourth spots on the grid respectively. At the end of today’s qualifying at the Sakhir circuit, where the temperature was around the 25 degree mark, pole position went to Lewis Hamilton who posted a 1.32.571 in his Mercedes. To claim his front row slot, Vettel did a 1.32.982, beating Nico Rosberg (1.33.129) in the other Mercedes. Raikkonen was fourth fastest with a 1.33.227 and therefore starts from the second row.

[sagi58]

Staff wrote:">Kimi Raikkonen: a good starting point

Kimi Raikkonen: “It was a positive day even if it’s a bit disappointing to finish fourth, because our aim is to be at the front. My last lap was quite good, I made a small mistake and ran wide a little bit in one corner, but it was nearly nothing, it did not cost me a lot of time. It was very close with everybody. On the track there was more grip than I expected and probably I could have pushed a little bit more, but I was not sure I could. My car was working well today, the position on the grid is not ideal but it’s a good starting point for the race. Tomorrow we’ll try to make a good start, and move on from there with a good first lap. To get ahead of Rosberg would help a lot, and then we’ll see what we can do. We’ll do our maximum”.

[sagi58]

Staff wrote:">Sebastian Vettel: A great success

Sebastian Vettel: “In the end it is a great success for us to be able to split the Mercedes. Again, we seem to be a bit closer; but then everybody seemed to be a bit closer this weekend. So, hopefully, we can be another step closer tomorrow. In the beginning of qualifying i was not entirely happy, but then it got better and better. The last lap was very important and we were able to get it right. Now I can’t tell whether I will be able to win the race tomorrow. Let’s not forget that this is only the fourth race of the season; we are very happy with where we are, how competitive we are. We’ll go step by step, we’ll try our best possible race tomorrow, and if this means we can put pressure on the Mercedes, then we’ll do it. But the target is still to look after ourselves; if there is a chance to fight one or two of them, for sure we’ll go for it.”

[sagi58]

Kimiii....

Staff wrote:">Bahrain Grand Prix - Kimi a splendid second, Seb fifth

Sakhir, 19 April

One runner-up spot and one fifth place for Ferrari come the end of the Bahrain Grand Prix. Kimi Raikkonen staged a great climb up the order, which ended in him passing Nico Rosberg two laps from the end.
The Finn crossed the line 3 seconds behind the Mercedes of race winner Lewis Hamilton. Sebastian Vettel finished fifth, spending much of the race trying to pass Valtteri Bottas in the Williams, while never having a real chance to attack. Now the Formula 1 circus has a three week break before the action resumes at the first European leg of the 2015 Championship, the Spanish Grand Prix at the Barcelona circuit.

[sagi58]

Staff wrote:">Kimi Raikkonen: It’s great to be back on the podium

Kimi Raikkonen:

“After a difficult year last year and a beginning of the season that was a bit unlucky, it’s great to be back on the podium. I have mixed emotions, it’s a great feeling to be back, but we want to be on the top. The start was really good , I managed to pass Nico, but then I lost the position and there I lost a bit of time. The strategy was perfect, we did the right calls and the right tyre choice , I was happy with the car , we kept up a good speed through the whole race. In the last laps I was getting closer and closer and could see Hamilton, but the race was at its end, we would have needed more laps to try to do something. I think we are still a little bit behind the Mercedes but in some circuits and some conditions we ca be very competitive, especially in the race. Today we did our best , we have to be happy with the result , we did the maximum and took some good points for the team. We keep improving step by step, we just have to keep working doing the same things in the same direction, and I’m sure we’ll get there.”