#Formula1 Gulf Air #BahrainGP and 2022 Season Preview. #F1

2022 Bahrain GP Preview – With testing now complete for the new era of machinery, the stage is set for round one of the 2022 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, which returns to the hot desert and under the lights in Sakhir at the Bahrain International Circuit this weekend for the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2022. This will be the 18^th Grand Prix that Bahrain has hosted.

 

 

A look at the Bahrain International Circuit

 

 

The Bahrain International Circuit is a permanent racing facility which opened in 2004 and is used for the FIA Formula One World Championship, FIA Formula 2 Championship, the FIA World Endurance Championship and the traditional 24 Hours of Bahrain. It is located at Sakhir, 30 kilometres south-west of the island’s capital Manama.

 

The circuit was designed by German architect Hermann Tilke, the same architect who has designed many other modern circuits on the Formula One calendar. The main contractor for the project was Cybarco-WCT. The multi-million-dollar project started back in September 2002 when the Kingdom of Bahrain signed a long-term deal to host the first ever Middle Eastern round of the FIA Formula One World Championship. The circuit costed approximately 56.2 million Bahraini Dinars (US$150 million) to build and construct. It has six separate tracks, including a 6.299km endurance circuit, a test oval and drag strip.

 

The circuit posed a unique problem as it was positioned in the middle of a desert, there were worries that sand would blow onto the track and disrupt the race weekend. However, organisers of the event were able to keep the sand off the track by spraying an adhesive on the sand around the track to keep it still.

 

The surface of the track is made of Graywacke Aggregate, shipped to Bahrain from Bayston Hill quarry Shropshire, England. The surface material is highly acclaimed by circuit bosses and Formula 1 drivers for the high level of grip it offers. The same type of material is used at the Yas Marina Circuit for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

 

The 5.412 km Grand Prix circuit was designed to give spectators the best possible experience, with 50,000 grandstand capacity seating, all providing great views of the circuit. Those spectators (A total of up to 100,000 on the race weekend) get to see the cars charging into the external desert area, before coming back into the oasis-styled infield section. Over 500 journalists from around the globe can also witness the action from the venue’s purpose-built media centre.

A modified ‘endurance’ style track layout was used for the season-opening 2010 event, with an additional complex starting at Turn Four extending the lap to 23 corners from its original 15 and 6.299 km, but the event reverted to its original track configuration for 2012. It gives the driver a unique experience in the way the circuit’s width varies at the end of the different straights. This allows for diverse racing lines, and the 15-turn design provides three great places for overtaking.

 

The circuit places a lot of great challenges on the cars including cooling, braking performance, and traction. The smooth tarmac and gentle kerbs encourage the drivers to attack the many medium speed corners. Tyre wear is normally on the cusp between a two-three stop strategy although the evening’s race takes the extreme temperatures out of the equation with track temperatures dropping fast as the sun goes down.

 

Another tough challenge for the engineers and in particular the drivers are the variable levels of grip that afflict the circuit. With high winds common, the circuit is frequently swept with dust from the desert, leading to the unusual circumstance of the circuit sometimes “devolving’ during the sessions.

 

The Bahrain International Grand Prix Circuit runs in a clockwise direction and is 5.412km (3.363 miles) in length with 15 corners.

 

The race distance is 308.238km (191.530 miles) in length with 57 laps in total.

 

Pedro De La Rosa holds the fastest lap record at the Bahrain International Circuit set in 2005 with a 1:31.447 in his McLaren-Mercedes MP4-20.

 

Lewis Hamilton has the most Bahrain Grand Prix victories with five to his name.

 

Scuderia Ferrari and Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team are the most successful Constructors at the Bahrain Grand Prix with six victories each.

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A lap of the Bahrain International Circuit

 

 

Here is the onboard pole position lap of the Bahrain International Circuit from last year’s event, set by Max Verstappen in his Red Bull Racing-Honda RB16B racer. The reigning World Champion posted a solid 1:28.997. You can watch the footage right here at the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0_vYunZXfg

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The Last Five Winners

 

 

2021: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1. 2020: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1. 2019: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1. 2018: Sebastian Vettel, Scuderia Ferrari. 2017: Sebastian Vettel, Scuderia Ferrari.

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Tyres

 

 

Pirelli will be bringing with them the red-marked C3 “Soft” tyres to Bahrain alongside the yellow-branded C2 “Medium” compounds and the white-marked C1 “Hard” rubber over the race weekend including the green-marked “Intermediate” and blue-marked “Full Wet” tyres in case of rain.

 

Drivers will have eight sets of the softs, three sets of the mediums and two sets of the harder compounds.

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DRS Zones

 

There will be three DRS Zones for the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend. The first detection point is 50 metres before turn one with the activation zone 23 metres after turn three. The second detection point is 10 metres before turn nine with the second activation zone 50 metres after turn 10. The third detection point is 108 metres before turn 14 with the third activation zone 170 metres after the final corner.

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What’s New For Formula 1 in 2022?

 

 

Formula 1 has entered a new era of sporting and technical regulations designed for closer and competitive racing, let’s take a look at them all:

 

Technical Regulations

 

Aerodynamics and Bodywork

 

The technical regulations have re-introduced the use of ground-effect for the first time since venturi under-tunnel cars were banned in the 1983 World Championship Season. This coincided with the simplification of bodywork, making the underside of the cars the major source of aerodynamic grip. The aim is to reduce dirty turbulent air in the wake of the cars to allow drivers to follow each other more closely and to produce more wheel-to-wheel competitive racing, whilst maintaining a similar level of downforce compared to previous years. Further changes to the car’s aerodynamics were aimed at limiting the teams’ ability to control the airflow around the front wheels with added over-wheel winglets, the return of wheel covers, revised brake ducts and further reduce the cars’ aerodynamic wake.

 

This included the elimination of bargeboards, the complex aerodynamic devices that manipulated airflow around the body of the car. The front wings have become more bigger and endplates have become more simplified, reducing the complexity and number of aerodynamic elements. The front wing must also be directly connected to the nosecone, unlike the pre-2022 designs where the wing could be connected to the nose with support to create a space under the monocoque, thereby allowing airflow under the car by way of the wing’s larger surface area and the nose’s increased height. The rear wings have become wider and are mounted higher than in previous campaigns, with additional restrictions in place to limit the teams’ ability to use a car’s exhaust gases to generate more downforce. The car’s bodywork will be required to be coated in rubber to reduce the risk of parts breaking off to minimise the risk of safety cars, stoppages and yellow flags.

 

Figures released by the sport’s working group revealed that when a 2019-spec car followed another car, it just had 55% of its normal levels of downforce available, whereas a 2022-spec car following another car would have up to 86% of its normal levels of downforce.

 

Power-Trains

 

The quota system of power-unit components is continuing in the 2022 season, with teams given a limited number of individual elements that can be used before being hit with a penalty. The exhaust system is added to the list of components, with teams allowed to use six throughout the 2022 campaign.

 

Standardised Components

 

Standardised components were introduced this season, with the technical regulations requiring standardised components to be in place until the 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship season. These standardised components include the fuel system and gearbox. Some aerodynamic elements including the tray that sits at the front of the car floor – will also be standardised to restrict all teams from the ability to develop in that area and gain an advantage. Individual parts will now be classified as a way of clarifying the rules, which surround them.

 

• “Listed parts” refers to parts of the car that teams must design by themselves.
• “Standard parts” is the name given to parts of the car that all teams are required to use, including wheel rims and equipment used for pit stops etc.
• “Transferable parts” are parts that teams can develop and sell to another team, such as the clutch and gearboxes.
• “Prescribed parts” are parts that teams must develop according to a prescriptive set of regulations. Prescribed parts such as wheel aerodynamics and arches.
• “Open-source parts” may be developed collectively by teams and sold on to customer outfits. Parts including DRS mechanism and Steering Wheels are listed as open-source parts.

 

The system of categorising parts was introduced to the sport to allow more design freedom as the aerodynamic regulations overhaul was highly prescriptive.

 

Tyres

 

Wheel diameter has increased from 13 inches to 18 inches. The 18-inch wheels were introduced to the FIA Formula 2 World Championship in the 2018 season, to test changes in tyre behaviour. It was originally proposed that tyre blankets – used to keep tyres at optimal temperature when not in use – would be banned, although this decision was later overturned due to opposition from sole-tyre supplier Pirelli. Tyre warmers will now become a standardised part of equipment, with all teams required to use the same product with the aim to eventually faze them out by the 2024 campaign. Whilst Pirelli remain the official tyre supplier, BBS would partner and supply the wheel rims to all Formula 1 teams from 2022 onwards in a four-year deal. The tyres now feature over-wheel winglets to help control the wake coming off the front-tyres and directing it away from the rear wing. Also the return of wheel covers to the sport for the first time since 2009 is for sending airflow through the wheels, which might be a potent way for the team’s to increase their downforce, but it also adds the chaotic aerodynamic wake coming off the cars.

 

Sporting Regulations

 

Sprint Points System and Events

 

Having been firstly trialled at three Grands Prix under the title “sprint qualifying” last season, the format returned also for three this championship campaign with the name changed to “sprint”. The race weekend format will be unchanged from 2021 and will be run at the Emilia Romagna, Austrian and Sao Paulo Grands Prix with points now being awarded to the top eight drivers rather than the top three finishers as it was last year. Unlike 2021, the driver who sets the best time in Friday’s qualifying to set the grid for the sprint will be credited as the official pole-sitter, with the winner of sprint race continuing to have the right to start the race from the first-place grid slot.

 

Points System for Shortened Grands Prix

 

Following the controversial awarding of points at the very shortened 2021 Belgian Grand Prix, the criteria needed for points to be awarded for uncompleted races was altered. The requirement, which was pending approval by the World Motor Sport Council, was changed so that:

 

• No points will be awarded unless a minimum of two laps had been run under green flag conditions.
• If more than two laps are completed, but less than 25% race distance is run, points will be awarded on a 6–4–3–2–1 basis to the top five.
• If 25%–50% of the race distance is completed, points will be given on a 13–10–8–6–5–4–3–2–1 basis to the top nine drivers.
• If 50%–75% of the race distance is completed, points will be awarded on a 19–14–12–10–8–6–4–3–2–1 basis to the top ten drivers.
• If more than 75% of the race distance is completed, full points will be given.

 

The previous criteria was in place for over 40 years prior to the alteration, with the last being change some-time between the 1977 and 1980 championship seasons.

 

Safety Car Procedure

 

Due to the controversy surrounding the safety car at the season-closing 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the safety car restart procedures have been changed. Rather than waiting until the lap after the last car has unlapped itself from the race leader, the safety car will now be removed one-lap after the decision that lapped cars may unlap themselves has been given. Additionally, the wording of the specific regulations used for cars unlapping behind the safety car has been changed and it now states that all cars rather than any cars are required to be given the instruction of unlap themselves, in an attempt to remove confusion in the sporting regulations.

 

Starting Tyre Choice

 

The rule that had been in place since 2014, requiring drivers that progress into Q3 of qualifying to start the Grand Prix on the rubber they used to set their best effort in the middle segment of qualifying, has been abolished. All drivers now have a free choice of starting tyre for the Grand Prix at all 23 rounds.

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F1 2022 Pre-Season Testing Round-Up

 

 

Over 6,000 laps were completed across all six days of pre-season testing at Barcelona and Sakhir, with several outfits enduring differing fortunes across both tests as they looked to get on top of Formula 1’s new cars designed for closer and competitive racing.

 

On the mileage charts, things were looking promising for Ferrari, who enjoyed reliable and smooth running, completing the highest mileage of all the teams across the six days with Carlos Sainz clocking up the most tours.

 

At the opposite end, Ferrari-powered Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN and Haas F1 Team had difficult tests hindered by reliability problems. Both made encouraging improvements in Bahrain, despite Haas missing the opening half of the day due to logistical issues.

 

After a solid first test at the Circuit De Barcelona-Catalunya, McLaren encountered a set-back in Sakhir as brake problems hampered it’s running and prevented the Woking-based squad from completing any proper race simulations. Considering his absence from the second test due to illness and being hit with a positive coronavirus test, it was no surprise seeing Daniel Ricciardo near the bottom of the mileage charts.

 

You can catch up on the full six days of pre-season testing in Barcelona and Sakhir at the links below:

 

#F1 Pre-Season Test Day 1: @LandoNorris quickest for @McLarenF1.

#F1 Pre-Season Test, Day 2: @ScuderiaFerrari’s @CharlesLeclerc fastest.

#F1 2022 Pre-Season Test, Day 3: @LewisHamilton quickest in disrupted final day.

 

#F1 2022 Bahrain Pre-Season Test Day 1: @PierreGASLY tops time-sheets.

#F1 2022 Bahrain Test, Day 2: @Carlossainz55 fastest in red-flag filled day. #F1Testing

#F1 Bahrain Test, Day 3: @Max33Verstappen fastest in final day of testing. #F1Testing

 

Most Laps Per Team

 

Scuderia Ferrari: 788
Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team: 778
Scuderia AlphaTauri: 679
Oracle Red Bull Racing: 678
Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team: 635
Williams Racing: 605
BWT Alpine F1 Team: 582
McLaren Racing: 567
Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN: 518
Haas F1 Team: 413

 

Most Laps Completed Per Driver

 

Carlos Sainz: 416

George Russell: 407

Pierre Gasly: 381

Charles Leclerc: 372

Lewis Hamilton: 371

Lando Norris: 355

Max Verstappen: 345

Sebastian Vettel: 340

Sergio Perez: 333

Alexander Albon: 329

Yuki Tsunoda: 298

Esteban Ocon: 297

Guanyu Zhou: 296

Lance Stroll: 295

Fernando Alonso: 285

Nicholas Latifi: 276

Valtteri Bottas: 213

Daniel Ricciardo: 212

Mick Schumacher: 197

Kevin Magnussen: 98

Nikita Mazepin: 71

Pietro Fittipaldi: 47

Robert Kubica: 9

 

Most Laps Completed Per Engine Manufacturer

 

Mercedes: 2,585
Ferrari: 1,719
Honda: 1,357
Renault: 582

 

Mercedes topped the time-sheets in Barcelona but did not feature highly at the Bahrain International Circuit as Red Bull Racing finally stretched the legs of it’s RB18 with reigning World Driver’s Champion Max Verstappen setting the benchmark fastest effort overall.

 

Haas F1 Team also caught people out by showing solid pace with the returning Kevin Magnussen topping the time-sheets after day’s two running ended in Bahrain, with team-mate Mick Schumacher landing the second-quickest time overall from the second test.

 

Ferrari, McLaren, AlphaTauri and Alpine all topped at least one of the 12 sessions.

 

Formula 1 2022 Barcelona Pre-Season Testing Combined Lap-Time Classification (February 23-25 2022)

 

POS	DRIVER	TEAM	BEST TIME	TYRE	DAY
1	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team	1m19.138s	C5	3
2	George Russell	Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team	1m19.233s	C5	3
3	Sergio Perez	Oracle Red Bull Racing	1m19.556s	C4	3
4	Lando Norris	McLaren F1 Team	1m19.568s	C4	1
5	Charles Leclerc	Scuderia Ferrari	1m19.689s	C3	2
6	Max Verstappen	Oracle Red Bull Racing	1m19.756s	C3	3
7	Sebastian Vettel	Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team	1m19.824s	C5	3
8	Pierre Gasly	Scuderia AlphaTauri	1m19.918s	C4	2
9	Carlos Sainz	Scuderia Ferrari	1m20.072s	C3	3
10	Daniel Ricciardo	McLaren F1 Team	1m20.288s	C4	2

 

Formula 1 Bahrain 2022 Pre-Season Testing Combined Lap-Time Classification (March 10-12 2022)

 

POS	DRIVER	TEAM	BEST TIME	TYRE	DAY
1	Max Verstappen	Oracle Red Bull Racing	1m31.720s	C5	3
2	Mick Schumacher	Haas F1 Team	1m32.241s	C4	3
3	Charles Leclerc	Scuderia Ferrari	1m32.415s	C4	3
4	Fernando Alonso	BWT Alpine F1 Team	1m32.698s	C4	3
5	George Russell	Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team	1m32.759s	C5	3
6	Valtteri Bottas	Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN	1m32.985s	C3	3
7	Yuki Tsunoda	Scuderia AlphaTauri	1m33.002s	C5	3
8	Sergio Perez	Oracle Red Bull Racing	1m33.105s	C4	3
9	Lando Norris	McLaren F1 Team	1m33.191s	C3	3
10	Kevin Magnussen	Haas F1 Team	1m33.207s	C4	2

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Formula 1 2022 Driver Line-Ups

 

 

Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team – The eight-time consecutive World Constructor’s Champions feature an all-British line-up in 2022 as seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton is partnered with George Russell, who steps up from the Williams team. The Silver Arrows remain the team to beat, can they be stopped on their quest to become nine-time successive World Constructor’s Champions? And can they bring the Driver’s title crown back to Brackley-Brixworth/Germany? Will Hamilton become an eight-time World Driver’s Champion, or will Russell claim his maiden title? Time will tell.

 

 

Oracle Red Bull Racing – The Milton Keynes based-squad keep stability in their line-up with reigning World Champion Max Verstappen racing alongside Sergio Perez. The Bulls will be looking to end the Silver Arrow’s dominant Constructor’s Championship run and add it’s fifth Constructor’s Championship to it’s cabinet for the first time since 2013. Can Verstappen become a back-to-back World Champion in 2022? We will see.

 

 

Scuderia Ferrari – The Scuderia maintain Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz for the 2022 campaign. Ferrari made a solid improvement in 2021 finishing third in the Constructor’s Championship after a dismal 2020 finishing a low-sixth. After a solid test in Bahrain and Barcelona, the Prancing Horse look in great shape ahead of Formula One’s new raft of rules and regulations. Following a win-less couple of seasons, can Ferrari propel themselves back on the top to end their title-winning drought in both the Driver’s and Constructor’s Championships for the first time in 14 and 13 years respectively?

 

 

McLaren Racing – The Woking-based outfit retain Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris for the upcoming season. McLaren broke it’s win-less drought with a one-two victory at the Italian Grand Prix last-season with Ricciardo leading Norris home at Monza. The team fell to fourth-place in the Constructor’s Championship after a consistent improvement by rivals Ferrari. Can McLaren find their way back to the front in 2022?

 

BWT Alpine F1 Team – The Anglo-French alliance keep the team of double-World Champion Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon. The team achieved it’s maiden victory at the Hungarian GP last year through Ocon but have been well off the pace of the top four outfits, but with a stable line-up it can help them progress forward.

 

 

Aramco Aston Martin Cognizant F1 Team – The Silverstone squad retain stability by keeping four-time World Driver’s Champion Sebastian Vettel alongside Lance Stroll with the former racing in his 15^th season in Formula 1 and the latter in his fifth.

 

 

Williams Racing – The Grove-based team keep Nicholas Latifi and have brought in Alexander Albon as replacement for the departed George Russell who moved to the Silver Arrows. Williams scored its first podium since the 2017 Azerbaijan GP at last season’s rain-soaked Belgian Grand Prix through now-Mercedes driver George Russell and also achieved it’s first double-points at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix. Can the Grove-based outfit make a further improvement up the field in 2022?

 

 

Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN – The Hinwil outfit bring in ten-time Grand Prix winner Valtteri Bottas as replacement for the retiring 2007 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen and promoted FIA Formula 2 driver Zhou Guanyu alongside the Finn as Robert Kubica holds onto the test and reserve driver role.

 

 

Haas F1 Team – The Kannapolis-Banbury squad feature the driver line-up of Mick Schumacher and the return of Dane Kevin Magnussen on a multi-year deal after the team dropped title-sponsor Uralkali and driver Nikita Mazepin due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. Pietro Fittipaldi remains as the team’s test and reserve driver. Despite running late to testing due to logistical issues, Haas showed some promising pace ahead of the 2022 campaign. Will they rise up the field?

 

Who will come out on top under the sport’s new sporting and technical regulations?

 

The Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2022 race weekend begins Friday March 18 with Free Practice 1 and 2, followed by Free Practice 3 and Qualifying Saturday March 19 and the 57 lap Race Sunday March 20.