Bahrain Grand Prix: presentation and predictions from the editors

Formula 1 is changing its habits! The health crisis has passed through: it is currently impossible to organize the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, postponed to the 21st of November.

So let’s start the season in the Middle East: the Kingdom of Bahrain hosts the inaugural race of the 2021 season, as in 2006 and 2010, when the Sakhir International Circuit had already replaced Melbourne.

Already the 17th Bahrain Grand Prix!

First Gulf country to host an F1 race, Bahrain landed on the calendar in 2004 with its track designed by the German architect Hermann Tilke, also the creator of the tracks in Shanghai, Sepang, or Sochi.

Located near the city of Manama, the capital of Bahrain, the Sakhir International Circuit also measures just under 5 and a half kilometers (5.412 kilometers). A rather long track compared to the average of other races on the calendar. Comprising 15 turns, the layout is particularly demanding on the brakes, with 4 major braking zones.

Three DRS zones allow drivers to attempt an overtake: the start/finish straight, the one between the 3rd and 4th turns, and the one between the double left turn 9-10 and the left turn of the 11th turn.

The Sakhir circuit is a balanced circuit, with long curves to put the tires and cars to the test. Since 2014 and its 10th anniversary, the Bahrain Grand Prix has been held at night.

Very abrasive, the track presents a challenge for Pirelli. The tyre supplier is bringing a medium selection for this first Grand Prix: the hard compound (white strips) corresponds to C3 tyres, the medium compound (yellow strips) to C4 tyres, the soft compound (red strips) to C5 tyres.

Pirelli’s choice

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Get to know the season-opener a little better: https://t.co/QjCSCZ4okX#BahrainGP ???????? #Fit4F1 pic.twitter.com/52StwJ2I37

— Pirelli Motorsport (@pirellisport) March 22, 2021

On the stakes side, the question will obviously be to see if Mercedes can recover from the difficulties encountered during the winter tests. The German team arrives with confidence in Sakhir. Lewis Hamilton has won twice in Bahrain, with his victory in 2019 and the one in 2020, marked by Romain Grosjean’s terrible accident.

Next to Hamilton, two other drivers on the grid have already triumphed in the Bahraini desert: the comeback kid Fernando Alonso three times (2005, 2006, and 2010) and Sebastian Vettel, winner four times in Sakhir, two victories for Red Bull (2012, 2013) and two for Ferrari (2017, 2018).

Among the other hotspots to watch, the race of the outsiders for a potential podium. Since the arrival of the V6 Turbo Hybrid era, the podiums in Bahrain have been dominated by the trio Mercedes-Red Bull-Ferrari. Only the ancestor of Aston Martin has stepped onto the 3rd step of the podium: Force India with Sergio Pérez in 2014, behind the now legendary battle between Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

By the way, three drivers will make their Formula 1 debut this weekend: Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) and the Schumacher-Mazepin duo at Haas. The three drivers have already raced on the track in F2 and during private tests two weeks ago in F1.

Editor’s predictions

So what are the first bets of the season? Following the winter tests, the editors are mainly putting Red Bull at the top, to the detriment of Mercedes. Example in our season-opening talk show in 2021, broadcast this Wednesday, March 23 on our Twitch channel.

Max Verstappen is designated as the favorite! Charles Leclerc and Daniel Ricciardo are also favored in our predictions to step onto the first podium of the season.

And you?

What are your favorites for the Bahrain Grand Prix?

The Grand Prix will start this Sunday at 5:00 pm. Find the schedules to know with the TV program.