Bahrain GP 2004

Ladies and Ferrari fans, :grinno:

The Bahrain GP weekend is under way, Friday practice 1 over (times (http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=20392)), and the second one is running as I type. Both Ferraris in front in the first session (not by too much, though), and as I understand Kimi had to stop on the track in the first session and now in the openning minutes of the second one (have no idea what's going on, I'm following the sessions on timing screens on www.f1.com).

Kimi's car had a fire in the engine bay and the engine had to be changed, so he'll start 10 places down the grid from his qualifying position. Also there were at least 3 tyre failures, all Michelin, including Alonso and DC.

Now I'm all broken up over their tyre failures :D

Rubens first in practise.

Tyre puncture explaination, but no B'stones punctured???

"Michelin has collaborated with the FIA's technical department and an inspection of the track revealed two drainage hatches have become detached from their concrete bases," Michelin said in a statement. "This created sharp ridges which will damage any tyre that crosses them. A temporary cure has been set up already and a permanent solution will be in place before Formula One practice resumes Saturday."

Final qualifying

1 Michael Schumacher Ferrari 1:30.139
2 Rubens Barrichello Ferrari 1:30.530
3 Juan Pablo Montoya Williams-BMW 1:30.581
4 Ralf Schumacher Williams-BMW 1:30.633
5 Takuma Sato BAR-Honda 1:30.827
6 Jenson Button BAR-Honda 1:30.856
7 Jarno Trulli Renault 1:30.971
8 Olivier Panis Toyota 1:31.686
9 Cristiano da Matta Toyota 1:31.717
10 David Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes 1:31.719
11 Giancarlo Fisichella Sauber-Petronas 1:31.731
12 Christian Klien Jaguar-Cosworth 1:32.332
13 Felipe Massa Sauber-Petronas 1:32.536
14 Mark Webber Jaguar-Cosworth 1:32.625
15 Nick Heidfeld Jordan-Ford 1:33.506
16 Giorgio Pantano Jordan-Ford 1:34.105
17 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:34.130
18 Gianmaria Bruni Minardi-Cosworth 1:34.584
19 Zsolt Baumgartner Minardi-Cosworth 1:35.787
20 Kimi Räikkönen McLaren-Mercedes ----

What do you guys think about the track layout?

Im still amazed how Michael still pulled off pole, by 4 tenths, despite locking up and driving rally-style :D Rubens wasnt lying when he called his team-mate's last sector phenomenal :thumbsup:
Apart from that the session was pretty boring, and what are McLaren thinking not sending Kimi out at all? I can't get my head around it :dunno:

What do you guys think about the track layout?
Very unspectacular and too many slow corners, though there are supposed to be good overtaking spots. We'll see tomorrow.

Very unspectacular and too many slow corners, though there are supposed to be good overtaking spots. We'll see tomorrow.

Agreed, although they seemed to keep a pretty fair pace even through the hairpin, but too few overtaken zones for sure.

Too few overtaking zones? There are supposed to be at least 3, which isnt too bad...

We'll see, being there has been no races there, it is an unknown.

Many drivers have maintained that the track layout offers several overtaking possibilities, and in the press conference Michael also said the track looks to be one where the whole field will be more bunched together than your average track. If they're right, that should liven up the fairly dull backdrop.

Typical hype before using a track for the first time. Sepang was supposed to have multiple overtaking zones because the track is so wide - turned out there was still only one narrow racing line. Albert Park was supposed to have half a dozen overtaking zones as well, turns out it has maybe one and half.

Dunno what Kimi and McLaren are up to, perhaps they planned to change the engine again so would have been last anyway? In any event I hope they have something up their collective sleeves.

I think it could turn out to be a good decision for Kimi. He was going to be way back anyway, but with the rain this morning and a sandstorm, and a generally cooler weather they will be able to set his car up perfectly for the conditions. All he needs is speed and reliability. And also he needs the aforementioned hype tp be true ;)

Ralf collides with Takuma (totally Ralf's fault), Kimi's engine gone again and Schumi running away before pitting already after 8 laps :o

Good thing Kimi took it easy on that engine in qual!

What happened between trulli and rubens? Somethin in the pits?

Bad news for Sato (and his admirers - me). Destroyed his front wing when he ran over the curb too much. Nice duel between Massa and Alonso, both being caught be Ralf.

...and Massa is relegated to the back of the group.

Ferrari has once again pressed their faces in dough and made jackass cookies...

The only people making jackass cookies are Max and Bernie. Think I'll switch the season off now...:(

Somebody wake me when Formula One returns please.

No, Phil, while I don't agree with quite a lot of latest decisions, Bernie and Max had nothing to do with Mercedes engines blowing up or DC fighting Sato for 6th position (and losing out), or Williams drivers either making fools of themselves (Ralf, who, incidentally, pushed another driver round), or not being able to come within one second off the pace of Ferrari. The ones to blame for that are Mclaren, Williams, and their drivers. So if you switch off, you're showing your attitude towards your team. I didn't switch off in 98, I believed in my team being able to get back into the chase. You, obviously, don't, but don't be laying blame for that anywhere but at the doorsteps of Mclaren and Mercedes.

No, Phil, while I don't agree with quite a lot of latest decisions, Bernie and Max had nothing to do with Mercedes engines blowing up or DC fighting Sato for 6th position (and losing out), or Williams drivers either making fools of themselves (Ralf, who, incidentally, pushed another driver round), or not being able to come within one second off the pace of Ferrari. The ones to blame for that are Mclaren, Williams, and their drivers. So if you switch off, you're showing your attitude towards your team. I didn't switch off in 98, I believed in my team being able to get back into the chase. You, obviously, don't, but don't be laying blame for that anywhere but at the doorsteps of Mclaren and Mercedes.
Amen to that.

Alex, you seem to be attempting to read somebody elses mind. Lets see what the FIA did do:

Went to Bahrain
Let Tilke design the track
Focus on cushy hospitality rather than competition
Parc ferme after qualifying
Single lap qualifying
One engine per weekend
Nascar style points system
Regulated billboard sizes on the cars
Grooved tyres
Narrow track
Et cetera, et cetera... (I shudder to think what's next)

Enjoy your jackass cookies...

They must be proud of themselves, 'cause they're applying the same formula to the WRC, which is the real reason I sound annoyed.

I agree with every single one of your comments, I hate those changes, I think they're taking a lot from F1. But I'm sure you wouldn't be minding it that much if the team/driver you support were at the front, would you? And all teams are given those rules, and they have to cope to the best of their ability.

Button in with a shout for a second consecutive podium :)

Go Jenson!

Monty's engine is sick. Wonder how many more positions he'll lose

Juan had a problem, wonder if it holds up till the end and if so, where will he finish.

So lets call it Formula Ferrari cause that is all that will be left soon at this rate. Max and Bernie tried so hard for so long to produce a Ferrari World Champion, this is the legacy.

DC pits from 8th position ... and rejoins only to roll till the pit exit.

DC pits from 8th position ... and rejoins only to roll till the pit exit.
Mc-drive thru

DC: can i get a Big mac meal please? :iceslolan

Phil, you can believe whatever you want, my view is that most changes were introduced to slow Ferrari down. And the fact that they seem to be backfiring makes my grin only bigger.

Absolutely. The points system works quite obviously in favour of Ferrari's opposition.

Button will be 3rd in the WDC after this race. BAR have really gotten their act together.

JPM's problem looks like something to do with changing gears, a hydraulic problem maybe.

73rd win for Schumi, second 1-2 of the season for Ferrari, second, and second in a row podium for Button, and a third retirement in a row for Kimi.

Pretty good race overall. Predictable up front but some good overtaking action in the rest of the pack. No complaints about the result either. 3/3 :D

And let's hear it for Sato. Boy drove like a bat outta hell to regain and protect positions, and as fast and as good as Alonso is, he really didn't look like he had anything for Taku.

I'm very pleased with the Bahrain circuit. There was plenty of overtaking and there are very few things I'd change. I'd take out that tight left flick after turn one and that chicane after turn five, but that's about it. Otherwise, it's a far sight better than some other tracks that the circus visits during the year.

Hungaroring and the A1 Ring come to mind.

Bleh, I'm sick of ferrari winning. Looks like this year the williams FW24 is not only ugly, it's not fast either.

most changes were introduced to slow Ferrari down.

A bit late for April fools day Alex! Or are you serious :22yikes:

Anyway, another faultless performance by the Ferrari machine. Wonder what they'd be capable of if they were forced to the limit?

Bleh, I'm sick of ferrari winning. Looks like this year the williams FW24 is not only ugly, it's not fast either.

FW24? Don't blame you, this year is looking like a repeat of 2002.

At this rate, whenver MS comes to pit, he can just leave his car, go have a cup of tea, enjoys some muffins, and go out the race track and still beat everyone...

Yes, I am serious, and I'm still wondering if you really don't see that or just choose not to see that. I can point out how each item in your list, and a lot more not in it, benefitted Ferrari competitiors (I'm using the term loosely for the first races of 2004), but I'm sure you can do it yourself if you choose to show just a little bit of objectiveness. Not that I'm really expecting you to :p

The fastest lap Schumacher did was 1:30.252 on lap 7. The rest on the race he was running low 31-s, so I guess there was quite a lot in reserve. Can't wait for Imola.

this year is looking like a repeat of 2002.

Fingers crossed! Actually, I hope it's even better!

I can point out how each item in your list, and a lot more not in it, benefitted Ferrari competitiors

Huh? How have any of those changes benifited anybody? We have Ferrari to thank for the grooved tyres and narrow track, they were the sole objectors to vetoing the changes in 1998. Same with removing refueling.

So how about that "door prize" at the Bahrain GP?

A 15-year-old girl was the lucky winner of the raffle held at the recent Bahrain Grand Prix.

Every race fan that bought a three-day or race-day ticket for this year's inaugural event - no matter what category - was automatically entered into a raffle, drawn on race day by six-time World Champion, and eventual race-winner, Michael Schumacher. The prize on offer being a red 360 Ferrari Modena.

When the Ferrari star made the draw, just hours before the start of the race, it was 15-yeal-old Fatima Ali Hussain Yateem, whose winning ticket was pulled out of the hat.

Fatima was attending the race with her parents, Ali and Shirley Yateem, who also attended the subsequent handing over of the prize.

It's unclear whether Fatima will keep the car, though it's understood that she has already received several offers from potential purchasers.

Interesting...

Fingers crossed! Actually, I hope it's even better!
I agree. There was all that talk about Ferrari Back-tracking at the beginning of the year. O Ferrari haven't released their car yet but Maclaren released theirs the earliest and Williams has released theirs too.

Big whoop showed those dumb journalist that a facelift doesn't mean the stuff underneath has got better.
I look at it like this Ferrari is winning because they work the hardest they work to get the best its up to the other teams to catch up if they don't want to look like sitting ducks.

Didn't you think that Ralf was being a moron with what he did to Sato.

I think the Ferrari B team looks as good as the rest of the competition.