Webber would like to be on the podium in Bahrain
The Bahrain Grand Prix will be the last race before returning to Europe, and Mark Webber would like to secure his first podium this year at the Sakhir circuit. Meanwhile, Sebastian Vettel is expecting a challenging weekend as it is never easy to handle the Bahraini weekend well.
Mark Webber expects to see an exciting race in Bahrain, as drivers will use Pirelli tires and DRS for the first time in the Gulf kingdom: « We have not been to the circuit for two years and the last time we raced on the current layout was in 2009. We have never raced with Pirelli tires or DRS here, so it will be interesting to see how things unfold; all the ingredients are there to have once again an exciting Grand Prix. »
According to the Australian driver, managing tires well should once again be the key on the Sakhir circuit: « It will be important to quickly understand the tires, and you need a good top speed and good braking. It’s hot during the race, even hotter than in Australia and China, and the temperature is quite similar to Malaysia. It would be nice to get a podium finish before returning to Europe.»
Sebastian Vettel, on his side, expects a tough weekend due to the conditions but also the challenges the track poses to drivers: « The track demands a lot from the driver because the constant changing of corners means you don’t have time to settle during a lap. Additionally, the fact that the circuit is built in the middle of the desert means you have to manage the sand. It moves with the wind, so it can suddenly appear in new places every lap – so you never really know where the track is slippery. »
The current world champion knows that the track evolves a lot throughout the weekend, and it will be a challenge to predict how it will change in order to achieve a good performance in the Grand Prix on Sunday: « For the team, it is always a challenge to anticipate grip levels for the race. During Friday’s practice, when the track is still ‘green,’ you often need different settings than those necessary for Sunday. Given the nature of the circuit, the brakes are put to the test. »
It should also be noted that unlike in China, both Red Bull drivers should have the same car in Bahrain. In Shanghai, Mark Webber had the latest exhaust evolution while Sebastian Vettel preferred to revert to the old one, but Helmut Marko told the Austrian television Servus TV that both men would have the latest evolution in Bahrain – Vettel will have to deal with this solution even if he wasn’t comfortable with it.
