Pick the Podium: F-1 - Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, Sakhir, 2016

[Retroram52]

Two races this week-end in two series. IRL is in Phoenix and F-1 is Bahrain. Let's see if Vettel re-emerges as a force and if Rosberg starts stringing together wins. Maybe Haas will inch further toward the podium as well.

 

[forty_three]

Vettel looked sharp until the suspension of his car broke without warning.


Big surprise so far is Button and VanDoorne (Alonso broke ribs and punctured a lung at Melbourne) in the McLarens were as high as third in FP1. Solidly in the top 10 most of the day. Even to within 4 tenths of Rosberg. Then the Mercs threw down the gauntlet and expanded the gap to 1.4 again.

 

[Retroram52]

Rosberg, Hamilton, and Button are the top three after the final practice. This could be interesting.

 

[IndyAndy]

I thought that last GP's qualy system was going to ditched?

Looks like that didn't happen.

 

[IndyAndy]

I'll go conservative.

Hamilton
Rosberg
Vettel

 

[forty_three]

HAM
ROS
VET

Maybe I should just lock these three choices in for the rest f the season?

Only thing that's gonna keep any of them off the podium is reliability issues or wrecks.

 

[Retroram52]

I'll take Hamilton, Rosberg, Vettel as well. Raikkonen or Button may make some noise but it looks pretty straightforward so far.

 

[Hank Kingsley]

I should go status quo but I'm hoping Rosberg stuffs up...

Hamilton
Vettel
Rosberg

 

[Hank Kingsley]

I thought that last GP's qualy system was going to ditched?

Looks like that didn't happen.

Bunch of little men infighting supposedly.

 

[forty_three]

I watched Channel 4 (UK) pre-race show and Toto Wolff had some harsh words about the politics.

He likened the Quali format as a kick in the nuts.

And his guys have been one-two each race.

 

[Retroram52]

Holy Cow, looks like Rosberg is going to take another one and Raikkonen made Vettel look like a little girl. Hamilton is a distant third.

 

[Retroram52]

And Haas is going to finish fifth in a points-paying position AGAIN!

 

[IndyAndy]

Here's how we did:

We all get 2 points for getting Hamilton & Rosberg out of position.

SEASON TOTALS SO FAR:

forty_three, Hank Kingsley & Retroram52: 6 points each
IndyAndy: 5 points

Next Up: Shanghai, on April 16th.

 

[Retroram52]

Yep, Vettel's car blew an engine. Ferrari has some work to do. On we go in two weeks.

 

[forty_three]

Quite a showing by Stoffel Vandoorne as well. Wonder if someone else is going to give him a shot once Alonso is back. He outshone Button all weekend, and looked stronger than Alonso's looked in years.

 

[BoiseStateFan27]

What a race that was by Grosjean in the Haas, him and that team have been a lot of fun to watch so far

Rosberg is on a roll so far, I wonder if he can maintain this throughout the year

Ferrari and Mercedes are well ahead of the rest of the pack

but everyone beyond those two are very close to each other

it looks like even Manor might be able to score points this year

 

[LongtimeRamsFan42]

Wow, that was a fantastic race!!! So impressed with how the Haas team has done so far against the "big boys"

 

[Hank Kingsley]

Haas are sort of Ferrari B though aren't they?

Still doing very well though.

 

[Retroram52]

Not necessarily Hank. Vettel went out the first couple of laps with engine failure and Haas's Ferrari engine finished the race. Haas has some resources that are making "Ferrari (a)" look like dog meat!

 

[Hank Kingsley]

The Brit broadcasters on Sky made quite a big deal about the fact they "shopped" at Ferrari for "off the shelf" items, rather than develop their own. Not just the engine.