Due to other commitments I was unable to get this post up last week. So I decided to do something different and have a single post for both races in Bahrain. Here I am going to go through the main talking points from both weekends.
Grosjean’s crash is a testament to F1 safety, but also displayed concerns
As the cars at the back of the field rounded Turn 3 at the Bahrain Grand Prix, there was a lot of activity, but the many millions of viewers around the world were to get a massive shock as in the background the Haas of Romain Grosjean speared off at speed, followed by a massive fireball. The relief when he emerged relatively unscathed was unreal. The shock factor increased when replays were shown, and the world saw what actually happened. The car had gone through the barrier and the force was enough for the engine to split from the monocoque. The good things about this crash was the monocoque structure, including the roll hoop and crucially the halo which protected his head from impacting the Armco, stayed in tact. And the medical team could not have responded any better, risking their lives to get him out of the wreckage. The concerning factors however were the way the barrier gave way, which many have criticised and said should not happen in 2020, and the way the car split. What’s supposed to happen in the event of a split is the survival cell separates entirely from all components behind it. Not in a way where some engine components including the fuel tank stay attached and the rest breaks off, tearing fuel lines and causing the fire.
Bottas struggles once again
It can be said the Bahrain Grand Prix was not a good race for Valtteri Bottas. A lot of his troubles were through no fault of his own, the fact he sustained a slow puncture and had to pit obviously destroyed his race. But he did struggle at the start of the race as well, losing many positions before the red flag. For a large portion of the race he struggled to make his way through the field. And then in the Sakhir Grand Prix, being outpaced by George Russell probably has not done his confidence any good. After two races in the wilderness and another being outpaced by a one-off replacement he will want to strike back as his confidence has not exactly been done any favours.
Perez shows his class once again and finally takes his maiden win
Sergio Perez once again made a statement as to why he deserves to be in Formula One in 2021, with an incredibly well managed drive at the Bahrain Grand Prix, managing both of the starts well, and managing his tyres well enough to stay in position. He was running in third and on course for his second podium in a row until tragically his engine let go just a few laps from the checkered flag, meaning that his hard work came to nothing. It was not just a big blow for him but it was a big blow for Racing Point as well, as both their rivals McLaren and Renault got double points finishes, with McLaren moving ahead of them.
But a week later at the Sakhir Grand Prix, Sergio Perez would put in one of the drives of the season and finally take his maiden victory after 10 years of waiting. A little bit of luck intervened to get him to the front but the victory was mostly down to him. His race looked to be over at the end of the first lap when he was hit by Charles Leclerc. His car survived the incident and when the race restarted, he seized his way through the field at an unbelievable rate, before we knew it he was in the top 10. His tyre management and a helpfully timed Virtual Safety Car put him in the top 5 before he passed both Lance Stroll and Esteban Ocon to get into the final podium position. And after the Mercedes had their issues, that put him in front and finally his skill at tyre management rewarded him with a win. No matter what happens in 2021, he is now a grand prix winner, and no one can take that away from him. But it would be a travesty if he is not on the grid.
When Mercedes screw up, they really screw up
Mistakes from Mercedes are rare… But when they happen, they happen big. We saw it happen in Monza, when they did not notice that the pitlane was closed and pitted Lewis Hamilton, resulting in a 10 second stop go penalty. We saw it happen in Russia, when they gave Lewis the OK to do a practice start in a place where it is not allowed, resulting in another penalty. And then we saw it happen at the Sakhir Grand Prix when a slight flaw with the radio system resulted in the pitcrew missing a cue and accidentally fitting both cars with each other’s tyres, resulting in Valtteri Bottas being stuck on a worn set of hard tyres, and George Russell having to pit to correct the error. In doing so they threw away an easy 1-2 finish for the team.
George Russell shows what he is made of
Unfortunately Mercedes’ error and the subsequent puncture came at the expense of George Russell, who was standing in for Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes and for much of the race looked like he could take a sensational victory. His performance was unreal. Heading into the race weekend, many were sceptical about what he could achieve in such a short time adapting to the car. However despite not feeling physically comfortable in the car, in qualifying he was only 0.026 off of Valtteri Bottas. He really could not have done any more than he did in the race. He took the lead from Valtteri going into the first corner, managed the safety car restarts well and subsequently pulled a gap, and I believe he was simply managing the pace when the gap was fluctuating and was never under any threat. After his team’s critical error, George was down in fifth but he then displayed his overtaking skills, pulling off an incredible move on Bottas for fourth, before passing Lance Stroll and Esteban Ocon. Even after his puncture, he fought his way back into the points.
Rookies get accustomed to Formula One
The Sakhir Grand Prix saw two drivers make their Formula One debut, in the form of Jack Aitken and Pietro Fittipaldi. Other than Jack Aitken’s incident at the final corner, both drivers acquitted themselves well and by the time the weekend drew to a close they were very close to the pace of their respective team-mates.
The championship picture
Despite missing the Bahrain Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton still leads the table by 127 points back to second placed Valtteri Bottas, who may have a fight on his hands to fend off Max Verstappen for second. Sergio Perez has established a gap in fourth in the standings, however his grid penalty in Abu Dhabi could put this at threat. Whilst in the constructors championship, the main battle is the fight for third, as Racing Point have a ten point gap back to McLaren, who have a 12 point gap back to Renault.
Here are the standings;
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