As F1 heads to Bahrain for the second race of the 2016 season there will be a notable absence on track: Fernando Alonso. After suffering a spectacular crash in Melbourne which saw the MP4-31 roll through the air before coming to a rest upside down, a chest scan has indicated that Alonso hasn’t healed sufficiently enough to take part in the Bahrain race weekend. In his place McLaren has tapped reserve driver Stoffel Vandoorne who will make his F1 debut. Based on the maligned new qualifying format still in place, upgrades still due, and Vandoorne’s [lack of] F1 experience, expectations should not be set overly high for a good result this weekend.
Things are quite close between Mercedes and Ferrari but we don’t yet have evidence that Ferrari has truly closed the gap. We may get a better idea this weekend but a more valid test will be if/when the old qualifying format is restored. Despite this battle, much of the attention in Melbourne was focused on Max Verstappen’s radio outbursts over the position he found himself in. There has been some debate over whether he had a point or whether it was a lack of maturity coming through. Overshadowed by Verstappen’s display, Daniel Ricciardo was able to achieve a very good result with a Renault engine supposedly down on power; keep an eye on Red Bull to see if they can duplicate that result. And if Haas F1’s debut was any indication, expect them to be back in the points.
US TV SCHEDULE:
Practice 1, Fri 4/1, 7:00AM EST , NBC Sports Live Extra
Practice 2, Fri 4/1, 11:00AM EST , NBCSN
Practice 3, Fri 4/2, 8:00AM EST , NBC Sports Live Extra
Qualifying, Sat 4/2, 11:00AM EST , CNBC
Race, Sun 4/3, 10:30AM EST , CNBC
Please click over to TOV Motorsports for the full post (including TV times, track data, and video) and discuss there, here, or both!
http://motorsports.vtec.net/blog/118/f1-2016-bahrain-grand-prix/
Things are quite close between Mercedes and Ferrari but we don’t yet have evidence that Ferrari has truly closed the gap. We may get a better idea this weekend but a more valid test will be if/when the old qualifying format is restored. Despite this battle, much of the attention in Melbourne was focused on Max Verstappen’s radio outbursts over the position he found himself in. There has been some debate over whether he had a point or whether it was a lack of maturity coming through. Overshadowed by Verstappen’s display, Daniel Ricciardo was able to achieve a very good result with a Renault engine supposedly down on power; keep an eye on Red Bull to see if they can duplicate that result. And if Haas F1’s debut was any indication, expect them to be back in the points.
US TV SCHEDULE:
Practice 1, Fri 4/1, 7:00AM EST , NBC Sports Live Extra
Practice 2, Fri 4/1, 11:00AM EST , NBCSN
Practice 3, Fri 4/2, 8:00AM EST , NBC Sports Live Extra
Qualifying, Sat 4/2, 11:00AM EST , CNBC
Race, Sun 4/3, 10:30AM EST , CNBC
Please click over to TOV Motorsports for the full post (including TV times, track data, and video) and discuss there, here, or both!
http://motorsports.vtec.net/blog/118/f1-2016-bahrain-grand-prix/