Following a week break after the carnage in Istanbul, that saw Lewis Hamilton take his seventh World Championship, the teams are now all set up in Bahrain for a double header, followed by the final race of the year in Abu Dhabi.
Last Time Out
A fortnight ago in Turkey, we saw some of the most tasking conditions for the drivers to date. There will be certain drivers that will be hoping for a better weekend, following a particularly poor showing. One of those drivers, who will be hoping to end the season on a high will be Valtteri Bottas. The Finn had a torrid time, finishing well down the pecking order after multiple collisions and spins over the course of the race.
A man who Bottas got to know very well last time out was Esteban Ocon, another driver who will be wanting to go a little bit better this time around. The Renault boys had been showing good pace within the last few races, however the result in Turkey hindered them in the race for third place in the Constructors Championship.
Track Profile
The Bahrain International Circuit has been a staple of the Formula One calendar for over ten years now, having seen some of the best talent take to the track. This year is slightly different, as there will be two iterations of the circuit, with next week seeing the debut of the much debated 'Outer Ring' being used for the first time in the Formula One calendar.
The track is made up of a tight sector one and two, with slower corners making up the most of sector two. Sector three is made up of one larger straight and the back straight. The back straight sees cars come close to their top speed, before having to slam on the brakes for the hard right hander at the bottom.
Typically the track has favored Mercedes in the past, with even the Ferrari of last year not being able to topple the dominant force that is the 'Silver Arrows', despite qualifying pole.
Last years race finished in a 1-2 for Mercedes, followed closely by Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari. One team who will be hoping for a better time in Bahrain will be Red Bull, following last years finish of 4th and 9th for their two drivers.
Session Timings
Friday 27th November
FP1: 11:00 am - 12:30pm
FP2: 15:00 pm - 16:30pm
Saturday 28th November
FP3: 12:00pm - 13:00pm
Qualifying: 15:00pm - 16:00pm
Sunday 29th November
Race: 15:10 pm