28/03/2021
NEWS STORY
"Our balance wasn't that spectacular but it wasn't the worst run," said Lewis Hamilton following yesterday's qualifying session. "It's just that, with all the workings out, it looked like it was a couple of tenths difference between us but we will see.
"It definitely didn't look terrible," he added, "and it was a lot better than what I thought it was going to be in testing"
"Ah, we will find out tomorrow, during the race," responded pole-man, Max Verstappen.
That's it, that's the line... right there.
Forget the hyperbolic headlines, the inane 'let's do this' tweets, for those nine little words were all you needed; the perfect riposte to the world champion and the long-anticipated throwing down of the gauntlet that F1 fans have been craving.
Before anyone accuses us of bias, of being "anti-Hamilton" or, God forbid, "anti-Mercedes", the fact is that, just like the 2000s when Michael Schumacher and Ferrari ruled, we wanted to see someone take the fight to the champions. Not just on a one-off basis under the right conditions, but to mount a sustained challenge.
After all, surely when we're talking 'greatest of all time', this is exactly what true champions desire, to take on all comers... and beat them.
Let's face it, with a number of teams looking likely to write-off this season as they instead focus on the massive rules overhaul of 2022, there was every chance that 2021 could become the sport's forgotten season, a year in which F1 was basically in limbo.
Not any more, for it appears that Max Verstappen, Red Bull and Honda may finally have a package with which to take on Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes, not forgetting their respective 'support acts'.
Of course, what we don't want is for today's race to be decided at the first corner, though this is a track that has history, not least just a few short months ago.
With Sergio Perez failing to make it through to Q3 courtesy of the wrong tyre strategy, not for the first time Verstappen finds himself without support as he takes on the might of the Black Arrows.
That said, Perez is a canny driver, and with the right race strategy will hopefully become a factor as the race progresses.
Verstappen, as we now know, posted his pole-winning time with a damaged floor, Christian Horner claiming that the damage cost the Dutch youngster around a tenth-of-a-second. The floor has since been changed without penalty. The team has also changed the Energy Store and Control Electronics on Perez' car.
Red Bull might have the edge on outright pace - and handling - but never forget that Mercedes has won both titles for the last seven years, winning 73% of the races held thus far over the course of the hybrid era.
Furthermore, Hamilton relishes a fight - as does Max - and there is no doubt that both men will be anticipating today's showdown (and beyond) as much as we are.
But as if this wasn't enough, we have the prospect of a titanic battle for supremacy in the midfield, indeed a couple of teams might even envisage taking on the likes of Bottas and Perez, such is the breadth of talent and potential ferocity as individual drivers and their teams seek to establish themselves.
At McLaren, Daniel Ricciardo got his season off to the best possible start by out-qualifying teammate Lando Norris, and despite the grin the Australian will want to ram home his superiority this afternoon.
Another star of qualifying was Charles Leclerc, who once again flattered to deceive the equipment at his disposal.
Then there's Pierre Gasly, now a proven winner, and another driver with a point to prove, not least to his former employers.
And, of course, there's Mr Alonso, who can always be relied on to give 100%, not forgetting fellow world champion, Mr Raikkonen, whose team appears to taken a decent step forward over the winter.
Those drivers starting out of position, for whatever reason, include the aforementioned Perez, Yuki Tsunoda and Esteban Ocon, while poor old Sebastian Vettel faces yet another long afternoon.
We could go on - and on, and on - and fall into the annoying habit of broadcasters and the like who insist on bigging-up every aspect of the afternoon ahead of us, but the truth is there genuinely is something to be excited about, whether one is talking about the front row, the midfield, the rookies, the veterans or the stragglers... this really has the potential to be a great start to a great season. And after all, isn't that what we deserve?
Previously, the Bahrain Grand Prix has proved to be one of the most strategically interesting races of the year, and this is likely to be the case again today. An incident-packed grand prix last year, with safety cars and red flags, means that there's little meaningful strategy data and the teams are effectively starting from scratch. The abrasive track surface with high degradation makes a two-stopper the most likely scenario - but the exact two-stopper selected will depend on each driver's tyre availability.
There are many two-stop strategies that are similar in terms of overall time, but the quickest in theory is two stints on the mediums of 18 laps each, plus one central stint on the hards of 21 laps: set to be the strategy for all those who set their best Q2 times on this tyre, Verstappen, Hamilton, Bottas and Gasly.
The second-quickest two-stopper uses all three compounds: the softs for 14 laps, the hards for 24 laps and the mediums for the final 19-lap stint.
A soft-medium-medium strategy is slightly slower: this would use the softs for 15 laps and then two sets of mediums for 21 laps each.
Another two-stopper uses two 16-lap soft tyre stints and one 25-lap hard stint (probably as the middle stint). This last strategy can be a favourable one with cooler conditions. In terms of overall time, that's similar to the above - and, as always, all permutations are possible.
With cooler conditions than the previous two days and the wind having picked up, this will only add to the keen sense of anticipation.
The pitlane opens and the drivers begin to head out. The air temperature is 20.8 degrees C, while the track temperature is 29.9 degrees. There is a strong headwind into Turn 1.
The drivers gather at the front of the grid for the We Race As One ceremony and the National Anthem.
Mazepin complains that he has water pouring over him
Other than Verstappen, Hamilton, Bottas and Gasly, Perez, Giovinazzi, Tsunoda, Raikkonen, Schumacher, Mazepin and Vettel start on mediums, the rest are on softs.
They head off on the warm-up lap, Hamilton pulling ahead of Verstappen.
Calamity... Perez has stopped on track before he even gets to the grid.
As the start is aborted and the drivers head off on another warm-up lap, Perez finally gets going. The Mexican heads to the pits from where he will have to start.
Once again, Verstappen leads the field back to the grid. On the front row, Verstappen and Hamilton both have their cars pointed inwards to the centre of the track.
They're away. Verstappen holds the lead into Turn 1 ahead of Hamilton, while Leclerc is on the inside of Bottas. Behind the McLaren pair battle for position in pursuit of Gasly.
As Verstappen leads the pack, further back Mazepin spins off and into the barriers at Turn 3.
Asked if he is OK, there is a long pause before the Russian eventually replies: Yes, I crashed. I'm so sorry."
Check out our Sunday gallery from Bahrain, here.
As Bottas pursues Leclerc, the McLaren continue to run side-by-side, at which point the safety car is deployed... and Twitter explodes.
Behind the safety car it's: Verstappen, Hamilton, Leclerc, Bottas, Gasly, Norris, Ricciardo, Alonso, Stroll and Sainz. Vettel is up to 14th having started last.
"I feel something weird on throttle," reports Verstappen.
The safety car is withdrawn at the end of lap 3. Verstappen holds back the field before finally unleashing the full power of the Honda, the Dutchman, Hamilton and Leclerc are three abreast into the first corner.
Further back, Schumacher is off while Gasly, who has been passed by Norris runs wide after being clouted by Ricciardo, shedding his front wing in the process. Elsewhere, Sainz clashes with Stroll, the Ferrari shedding a piece of bodywork.
The VSC is deployed in order to remove the debris. A lap later it is withdrawn and the race resumes. Having pitted, Gasly has dropped to 19th.
Bottas makes short work on Leclerc going into T1 at the start of lap 6, the Ferrari driver fights back but to no avail.
Bottas has a train of cars behind him, Leclerc, Norris, Ricciardo, Alonso and Stroll.
Bottas is told that Verstappen could have a problem with his differential and that the race is still open. Problem or not, the Red Bull leads by 1.466s and is currently fastest.
Vettel is up to 13th and Perez 14th.
Norris is all over Leclerc, the two side-by-side, corner after corner. "He forced me off," complains the Briton after trying to go around the outside in T4.
At the start of lap 9, Norris nails Leclerc in T1, while Sainz is attacking Alonso, who is all over Stroll.
Perez passes Ocon for 12th, while Vettel has slipped back to 15th.
After 10 laps, Verstappen leads by 1.882s while Bottas is 6.583s down on his Mercedes teammate.
At the end of lap 11, Alonso is the first driver to make a scheduled pit stop. He rejoins in 17th on mediums.
Next time around, Norris stops as do Leclerc, Stroll and Giovinazzi.
Norris rejoins in 13th, ahead of Leclerc and Alonso.
"OK, Lewis, it won't be long... close up." At which point the world champion pits. As do Ricciardo, Raikkonen, Ocon and Russell.
Hamilton rejoins in 4th while Ricciardo rejoins in 12th, behind Alonso.
Norris is on a hot lap, the McLaren driver quickest in S2, however, Hamilton goes quicker.
While Hamilton ups his pace anticipating Verstappen stopping, the Red Bull driver stays out.
Norris posts a new fastest lap (35.286) on lap 14, as Verstappen now leads Bottas by 6.124s.
Sainz pits at the end of lap 15, as does Tsunoda, while Hamilton goes quickest with a 34.057.
All bar Verstappen, Bottas and Vettel have pitted.
At the end of lap 16 Bottas pits, rejoining in 3rd as Leclerc passes former teammate Vettel.
"Box," Verstappen is told, and at the end of lap 17 the Dutchman duly obliges, rejoining 7.118s down on Hamilton.
Bottas passes Perez for third, as Verstappen continues to complain about his car. "There's really something wrong here," he moans.
Perez stops at the end of lap 19, as Stroll passes a struggling Vettel, with Alonso and Sainz in hot pursuit.
Alonso passes Vettel in T1 taking Sainz with him, however the Spaniard overcooks it and runs wide allowing Sainz and Vettel to pass.
Moments later, the Spaniard is passed by Perez, who subsequently makes short work of Vettel also.
A massive lock-up for Vettel who has now dropped to 12th, which poses the question, why don't Aston Martin call him in?
Out front, Verstappen has closed to within 3.9s of the leader, while Bottas is 3.6s down on the Red Bull. Fourth is Norris, ahead of Leclerc, Ricciardo, Stroll, Sainz, Perez and Raikkonen.
Vettel finally pits at the end of lap 24, the German switching from mediums to hards. He rejoins in 17th.
Tsunoda passes Alonso for 11th, the Japanese rookie being AlphaTauri's only hope of a points finish this afternoon.
Meanwhile, Verstappen has got the gap down to 2.3s. Hamilton really doesn't appear happy with his hards, unlike his Mercedes teammate.
Indeed, the world champion pits at the end of lap 28, while Bottas is told that he will be going "long" as Mercedes seeks to cover all Red Bull's options. Hamilton stays with hards.
Stroll has also pitted, rejoining in 15th ahead of Vettel.
Raikkonen pits at the end of lap 29 as does Alonso.
Not for the first time, Hamilton queries his team's strategy.
Bottas pits at the end of lap 30, however there's an issue with his front-right, which won't come off, and as a result he rejoins in fifth behind Norris and Leclerc.
Verstappen is advised that both Mercedes drivers are making full use of the run-off at T4 and that he should therefore feel free take advantage.
Ocon pits at the end of lap 31, the Frenchman rejoining in 15th.
Perez passes Ricciardo for sixth, the Mexican 3.2s down on Bottas.
Leclerc and Ricciardo pits at the end of lap 32. They rejoin in 8th and 9th.
Alonso and Latifi pit, however the Spaniard has a brake issue and is pushed back into his garage.
Norris pits from fourth at the end of lap 33, the Briton rejoining in 6th. Tsunoda also pits.
Told to increase his target lap time to low 34s, Hamilton replies: "I can't do that."
After 35 laps (of 57), Verstappen leads Hamilton, Bottas, Perez, Sainz, Norris, Leclerc, Ricciardo, Stroll and Russell, though the leader, Sainz and Russell have yet to make a second stop.
"If my pace is good, just keep me out," says Verstappen.
Russell having a great scrap with Raikkonen, the Finn, as ever, hard but fair.
No sooner has the Alfa passed the Williams than Tsunoda and Vettel also pass the struggling Briton.
Check out our Sunday gallery from Bahrain, here.
Lewis is told to respect the track limits at Turn 4. "I thought there was no track limits, I've been doing it all race," he replies as Russell pits.
Sainz pits at the end of lap 37, the Spaniard rejoining in 9th ahead of the Raikkonen/Tsunoda scrap. Unwilling to go head-to-head the AlphaTauri driver instead waits until the pit straight before blasting past the Finnish veteran on sheer grunt.
At the end of lap 38 Perez pits, the Mexican rejoining in 7th and immediately involved in a fierce battle with former teammate Stroll.
Verstappen pits and rejoins 8.8s down on Hamilton. Both are on hards, but the world champions are 11 laps older.
Verstappen is setting a blistering pace, and Hamilton is warned that the Red Bull will be on his tail in around 10 laps.
Lap 41 sees a new fastest lap from Verstappen (33.228).
"Make sure you've got enough tyres to challenge when you approach him," Verstappen is told.
Perez is all over Ricciardo as they battle for 6th, while Sainz is closing on Stroll.
Perez makes short work of Ricciardo while Ocon and Vettel tangle in T1.
Replay shows the German locking-up and running into the rear of the Alpine, damaging his front wing in the process.
While Vettel claims Ocon changed position, the replay shows that he didn't.
The stewards have noted the incident.
After 45 laps, it's: Hamilton, Verstappen (+ 3.7), Bottas (+ 13.9), Norris (+ 22.9), Leclerc (+ 47.6), Perez (+ 53.3) and Ricciardo (+ 56.7). Stroll, Sainz and Tsunoda fill the other points winning positions.
Sainz passes Stroll for 8th.
Verstappen loses vital time when he comes up behind the Ocon/Vettel scrap.
"Leave me to it Bono," says Hamilton as Verstappen closes to within 2s. "I'll leave you to it," comes the reply, "just let me know if you need anything."
There are 7 laps remaining.
As the Red Bull closes in on the Mercedes, the Dutchman begins to suffer the effects of its dirty air.
Hamilton runs wide and locks-up in T10 as his tyres begin to hurt. Suddenly Verstappen is within DRS range.
Suddenly it's down to 0.570s as Hamilton continues to struggle.
The pair close on Giovinazzi, Verstappen tried to go around the outside in T1. To no avail.
In T4 however, Verstappen goes very wide and passes the Mercedes... but was it legal? No, indeed, the Dutchman slows and hands the place back to his rival.
Meanwhile, Vettel has been given a 10s penalty for causing a collision with Ocon.
A late stop for Gasly who is currently 16th. Latifi also pits. Indeed, both retire.
Verstappen has dropped back and now outside DRS range.
At the end of lap 54, Bottas pits for fresh rubber... fastest lap anyone?
As they begin the final lap, Hamilton has a 0.936s advantage.
Hamilton takes the flag, a famous victory that, whatever they might say, will have broken Red Bull's hearts.
Better strategy or did Max blow it with that pass in Turn 4?
"Why didn't you let me go," says Verstappen, "I could have easily made up the five seconds," he adds, referring to the penalty he would have incurred for that pass.
Bottas takes third, plus an extra point for fastest lap, while Norris is fourth, ahead of Perez, Leclerc, Ricciardo, Sainz, Tsunoda and Stroll.
Raikkonen is eleventh, ahead of Giovinazzi, Ocon, Russell, Vettel and Schumacher.
Whatever way you look at it, and make no mistake the communications managers will be hard at work, this was a bitter defeat for Max and Red Bull. This was their race to lose, and - in Robert de Niro shouty voice - they blew it!
Hamilton told Bono to leave it to him, and after seven titles it was only right that the team did just that. Not for the first time the Briton gave a masterclass in calm under pressure.
That Bottas was over thirty seconds behind the two leaders - who at the flag were less than a second apart - tells you all you need to know.
Hopefully, Max and Red Bull will learn from this, dust themselves off and head to Imola ready to resume battle.
Over the next two weeks Mercedes will be looking at where they went wrong this weekend, for the German team cannot afford to continue relying on Hamilton to provide 'get out of jail free' cards.
Hopefully, Red Bull will arrive in Imola refreshed and regrouped for we want more of this, we want Hamilton to fight for that eighth title.
Behind, the scrap was every bit as fabulous as expected, though it was disappointing to lose Gasly and Perez so early, two drivers who, under normal circumstances, could have played a significant role in how the race shaped out.
Double points finishes for McLaren, Ferrari, while little Yuki Tsunoda joins the exclusive club of rookies to score points on their debut.
A great start to the season and hopefully a portent of what we might expect over the months ahead.
Check out our Sunday gallery from Bahrain, here.