Here's something to talk about:
McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh was left to put a consoling arm around one member of his team in the wake of what he described as a "classic bad day at the office".
After asserting following last weekend's Chinese Grand Prix that mistakes needed to be limited in order to win the championship in a highly competitive season, errors again undid McLaren in Bahrain on Sunday.
Sadly, for one unnamed team member especially, it has been a wretched two races to forget, which resulted in him beating himself up and being asked to step aside for Lewis Hamilton's final pit stop.
In China last week, Jenson Button was denied a shot at victory by a slow final change of tyres as the left wheel nut cross-threaded at the first time of asking.
At Hamilton's first stop on Sunday, the drive pegs failed to align, again at the left rear, a fault Whitmarsh claims was not of the gunman's making.
Fourteen laps later, another cross-thread with the same wheel delayed Hamilton, forcing Whitmarsh to make the change.
So from second on the grid, Hamilton was forced to settle for eighth, ultimately losing his championship lead to Red Bull race winner Sebastian Vettel who took the chequered flag for the 22nd time in his career.
"Any guy who volunteers to be a gunman in a team is a brave guy," said Whitmarsh.
"These guys are mechanics who don't get paid extra for doing it, who put themselves in the firing line and under an enormous amount of pressure.
"I've been speaking to him just now because I know how hard he is being on himself. I'm very protective of my staff because they deserve my protection.
"He's taken it very badly, but I've given him the reassurance and support of this team.
"It has to be remembered all of us, from team principal down, make mistakes from time to time.
"It's pretty bloody annoying when we do it, and we're often more understanding of other people than we are when we make our own mistakes.
"But there's a lot of pressure these days with three-second stops, and everyone knows the last gun off is the one that dictates the speed of that change.
"So if it hasn't been going well for you, it is an enormously stressful position to be in.
"We did have to change him for the last stop of the race because he took it fairly badly."
Hamilton also plans to offer a kind word as he said: "I don't know who he is, but I will go and see the guy, try and lift him up.
"That's all I can do really, otherwise it's about doing my best and trying to remain positive."
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Seriously, what is Whitmarsh trying to be...a mother hen to all his chickens? Jeez, this isn't primary school man.
Anyway, what's up with the 'volunteering' to be a gunman? I thought these guys are trained week in and week out, some personnel being specialized for handling pitstops, etc? Or am I completely mistaken, and does every team practice this morning assembly thing where Whitmarsh says "Ok who's our gunman today!" and a few raise their hands "Pick me pick me!"?
Sounds a bit absurd to me, but I'm sure (hope) everything is done way more professionally than what I'm thinking here.
You're not fans!
ing because we can see the race situation, Lewis and Jenson cant see the whole situation, all they can do is tell the team how the tires feel, when both say they are gone, it should be the lead driver brought in first every time and the last two races this hasnt happened, No wonder lewis hasnt signed a new contract.
and you think the McLaren site posts every team radio message too? First of all someone types that out its not automated with a direct feed to Lewis and Jensons brain waves.
