The season just started and it's already time for the third Grand Prix! Will Mercedes continue with their dominance or is somebody else going to have a chance finally?
Before I say anything else I want you to look at this video I found on YouTube:
Ferrari is planning to make these kind of videos before every single Grand Prix so I could start posting them as well. If you know some other team that makes official videos like these then let me know. I will post them also in that case.
This is going to be the 10th Grand Prix at Sakhir. It would have been the 11th but the 2011 Bahrain Grand Prix was cancelled because of the Bahraini protests if you still remember?
The most interesting thing though is that Bahrain has switched from daylight to a night race! Can't wait to see the very familiar track in the dark.
So what has happened in the past 10 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 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.
Last year 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. It will be different this year though with the new regulations.
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 only once. If we talk about other podium positions then Räikkönen has a 2nd place and three 3rd places. He didn't drive there in 2010.
Then it's time for my guesses as usual:
Pole position: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
The race:
- Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
- Fernando Alonso, Ferrari
- Kimi Räikkönen, Ferrari
Fastest lap: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
Surprise: Romain Grosjean, Lotus
That was it for today. Tomorrow I will post everything about the press conferences.
