Between the high temperatures, the abrasive track conditions and the fact that the mediums are said to get 12~15 and the hards 18~20 laps under normal conditions, we might see four stops in Bahrain this weekend.
I'm not so sure on this WB. The long straights here give reasonable relief to the tires and a significant amount of the loads going through them from braking will be more in a straight line.
What is tested more severely in Bahrain will be the engine and brakes.
Perhaps the significant observation for Bahrain is that it will shift grip importance to the rear (China IMO rewards front grip, but Bahrain will favour rear grip). On the surface of it, this should favour the Red Bulls. The test for the Red Bulls will be their brakes and brake temps.
Both Kimi and Nando's cars sustained body damage that would have compromised their performance in China, so perhaps they have a little more to gain as well.
I expect to see strong performances from the Ferrari, Lotus and Red Bull here. However, I'm not leaving Merc out, it will simply be a case of how much they need to compromise their undoubted car speed to achieve satisfactory tire deg.