Max on the hunt for Mercedes terrain – Bahrain GP Preview

The circuit: typical Tilke, just as much action

It is no wonder that the drivers were lyrical about ‘us’ Zandvoort last year. An old-school course that winds naturally through the dunes makes the racing heart beat faster than a sterile, artificial course by F1’s house architect Hermann Tilke. Bahrain International Circuit, built in 2003, is an example of such a ‘Tilke-Drome’ and has an unappealing layout. Fortunately, that does not mean that it is always a boring affair. For example, we remember the crash of Romain Grosjean, whose Haas exploded after bouncing him into the guardrail at the exit of Turn 3. No one gave a penny for Grosjean’s life, until he miraculously rose from the flames; Houdini would take his hat off for it.

There is also regular action on the track. In 2014, Mercedes teammates Hamilton and Rosberg battled for the lead for laps, overtaking each other several times. And touched. The Sakir Grand Prix of 2020 was also appealing, for which the outer ring of the circuit was used. In an incident-rich race, Sergio Pérez drove his Racing Point from last place on the first lap to an impressive P1. The tight win turned out to be the ultimate application for a seat at Red Bull.

The corner: overtaking spectacle in Turn 4

On a circuit with relatively many stop & go corners, turns 11 and 12 are the best for the drivers. Especially in qualifying it goes blood-curdling fast here. At more than 300 km/h brake briefly, downshift twice and then with one resolute steering movement at roughly 180 km/h turn left. Then ram on again towards the three hundred in the long right turner that immediately follows; a corner that is certainly not full throttle in the race, but with little petrol and a new set of red (soft) tires. Spectacular!

As cool as this combination is, during the race it is mainly Turn 4 that stands out. The (more than) right-angled judge at the end of the second straight offers many overtaking opportunities. Especially because in the tight corner before that straight you have little downforce loss compared to your predecessor and can therefore crawl into its slipstream.

Cockpit view: driving in the dark

Ask Dutch Formula 1 photographer Peter van Egmond what stands out along the track in the desert and his answer is that you can see the eyes of many drivers. Since 2014, the Bahrain Grand Prix has been held in the dark and most drivers mount a light visor on their helmet. Dark is by the way a relative term; unlike Le Mans, for example, the asphalt ribbon is bathed in artificial light from start to finish. Nevertheless, it is a special experience to race under these conditions. Because it is darker next to the asphalt, you drive in a light tunnel that can bring you into a kind of hyperfocus.

An extra challenge during the weekend is the fact that part of the training sessions are held during the day, at much higher temperatures. The data you then collect as a team and the feeling you get behind the wheel as a driver are not necessarily representative of the race.

The Max Factor: Late, Later, Last

When Max Verstappen drives alone, he is often a model of suppleness, someone who maximizes the lines and spares his tires as much as possible. In duels, on the other hand, the switch flips and late and aggressive braking is one of Max’s trademarks. As if he’s throwing a kart into the corner instead of a 1,000 hp F1 monster.

The Dutchman used exactly this characteristic during the 2021 edition. For the first time, Red Bull really did well on the circuit, which historically is mainly the domain of Mercedes. Max dominated practice and qualifying, but a different pit stop strategy put Hamilton in the lead. With fresher rubber and three laps to go, the Red Bull driver braked out of his arch rival at the previously mentioned Turn 4 and overtook him from the outside. Even though Verstappen had to go through the track limits giving his position back, Hamilton will certainly have experienced the passing action as a slap on the jaw. The first of many, as it would become during the 2021 season.

Facts & figures

Bahrain International Circuit
Length: 5.412 km
Number of laps: 57 (308.238 km)
Lap record: 1,31.447 (2005, Pedro de la Rosa, McLaren)

Timetable (Dutch times)

Friday March 18th

Free practice 1: 13.00 – 14.00

Free practice 2: 16.00 – 17.00

Saturday 19 March

Free practice 3: 13.00 – 14.00

Qualification: 16.00 – 17.00

Sunday 20 March

Race: 16.00 – 18.00