The season just started and it's already time for the fourth Grand Prix! Will Mercedes continue with their dominance or is Ferrari going to win another race?
This is going to be the 11th Grand Prix at Sakhir if I remember correctly. It would have been the 12th but the 2011 Bahrain Grand Prix was cancelled because of the Bahraini protests if you still remember?
One of the most interesting thing though is that last year Bahrain switched from daylight to a night race! They will continue like this in 2015 as well.
So what has happened in the past 11 years at this circuit?
In 2004 the first race was a bit boring if I remember correctly. Ferrari was still dominating the series so they had a 1-2 and Button was about half a minute behind them.
In 2005 it was a bit different because now it was the year of Renault. Fernando Alonso won, Jarno Trulli was second in his Toyota and Kimi Räikkönen was third in his McLaren. Alonso and Räikkönen ended up being the two superstars in 2005.
In 2006 all I can remember is that Räikkönen started from the back and was still third in the end. A very impressive performance. In front of him was the two drivers who fought for the championship that year, Michael Schumacher in second and Fernando Alonso in first place.
In 2007 Felipe Massa won the race, Lewis Hamilton was second and Kimi Räikkönen was third again.
In 2008 Massa won again, Räikkönen was second this time and Robert Kubica third. It seems that Massa and Räikkönen have also been very successful at Sakhir.
In 2009 Jenson Button took the only victory for a British driver (until Hamilton won in 2014) in Bahrain. Brawn was the team and it was their dominance back then and not Mercedes.. later Brawn became Mercedes.
In 2010 Bahrain was the first race of the season and it was also Alonso's first race at Ferrari. He did the same thing as Räikkönen had done in 2007 by winning in the first race at Ferrari.
In 2013 Sebastian Vettel won and the Lotuses of Räikkönen and Grosjean followed him. The same podium result was also in 2012 so these guys really seem to like this track.
Last year it was all about Lewis Hamilton's and Nico Rosberg's one on one fight at the top. That made the race one of the most interesting in 2014. I hope we will see something similar this weekend but the Ferraris should join the battle if they have the pace!
So who has been most successful in Bahrain? If we look at the stuff I just said earlier then Fernando Alonso! He has won 3 races, Massa and Vettel has won 2 and then Button and Hamilton only once. If we talk about other podium positions then Räikkönen has three 2nd places and three 3rd places. He didn't drive there in 2010.
Then it's time for my predictions:
Pole position: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
The race:
- Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
- Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
- Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari
Fastest lap: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
Surprise: Romain Grosjean will have a great race.
This weeks bonus for the predictors league: The first DNF of the race. My pick is going to be Pastor Maldonado.
This weeks bonus for the predictors league: The first DNF of the race. My pick is going to be Pastor Maldonado.
POINTS: 1st - 3
2nd - 5
3rd - 10
+ possible bonus points
HOW IT WORKS: the aim of the game is simply predict who comes where in the race (top3). A total of 18 points can be won on a race day. For example if you get winner and and 3rd place right but 2nd wrong you get 13 points.
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR PREDICTIONS: send an email to f14lifeblog@gmail.com or message the Facebook page to submit your predictions. You have until lights out to make them. If you submit them when the race has started they won't count. So be quick!
THE PRIZE: the winner of the league will win themselves a admin place on the F1 4 LIFE page along side AE, JT, MW & MH. If you don't want to be an admin you are welcome to participate anyway.
