Bahrain Grand Prix: Valtteri Bottas and Mercedes hope for a double in the desert



[ad_1]

The second round of the new Formula One season is heading to the Kingdom of Bahrain, where Ferrari has dominated in the past, but Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas is rejuvenated.

Who looks strong after Melbourne?

Get out of the shadows and in the spotlight, the bearded Valtteri Bottas. Your time is now.

The badertive nature of Mercedes' first win at the Australian Grand Prix means that the Finn's expectations are exceptionally high for the second race of the season.

Bottas signed his fourth career win with a 20-second advantage over team-mate Lewis Hamilton and earned applause for his tougher attitude.

Use the scale below to let us know if you think Bottas will win two consecutive wins this weekend.

That said, never dismiss a five-time world champion on a track with decent overtaking opportunities and three DRS zones.

During the race in Bahrain last year, Hamilton made a daring triple pbad to move up to ninth on the grid.

The first meeting of Red Bull and Honda in Melbourne was approved by the fans after third place Max Verstappen allowed the Japanese manufacturer to get his first podium of the turbo hybrid V6 era.

McLaren in the top 10 in qualifying? Yes, that really happened in Melbourne.

Lando Norris said he would "cherish" his performance in Q3, ranked eighth in Australia, and despite the end of the lower four-seater race, the Briton was the best rookie in his first grand prix.

Sparks burst when F1 cars jostle for position at Sakhir

Ferrari needs heat after a warm first match

Did Ferrari save for Bahrain by getting their hands on Albert Park?

Sebastian Vettel's half-race "Why are we so slow?" The question remains suspended in the air after he and his new teammate Charles Leclerc have finished nearly a minute behind Bottas.

Leclerc was also invited to stay behind fourth-place Vettel in the finals. Will the Monegasque driver be allowed to play wheel to wheel with his more experienced partner this time around?

Only a rebound in Bahrain will suffice, and Vettel, in particular, will blossom against his past exploits in the desert.

The German is leading the statistics of victory at Sakhir with two victories in Red Bull and consecutive victories with Ferrari in 2017 and 2018, the latter a masterful performance on worn tires. In Bahrain, on all points scored, Vettel only has 140 points ahead of Hamilton.

Other reasons for optimism? Well, Ferrari has celebrated six total wins in the Persian Gulf, three more than Mercedes.

Can Vettel triplet Bahrain's victories?

A tasty bromance is born

Daniel Ricciardo's first exit for Renault may have ended at home, but his new nickname is expected to make its way this season.

Thanks to Louis Pope, a five-year-old F1 fan – who christened former Red Bull lawyer "Daniel Avocado" – memorials based on lawyers and Ricciardo have made their appearance.

Not to be outdone, Hamilton tweeted a picture of the two men in Melbourne with the following caption: "Avocado + Ham".

A few days later, Mr. Avocado himself posted this picture on his Instagram stories, as a nod to the new owner.

Will the souks and markets of Bahrain face the demand of fans of avocados and ham slices this weekend? We will wait and see …

How can I watch the Bahrain Grand Prix on the BBC?

Keep an eye on the clocks this weekend, as the late hour comes into effect in the early hours of Sunday, March 31st.

Before we all rejoice on lighter nights, the first Friday training session will be on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra, with a second practice via the BBC Sport website and the sports app mobile only.

On Saturday, the third qualifying practice sessions will be available only on the BBC Sport website and on the mobile sport app.

After the UK has progressed an hour Sunday, head for BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra for a full race commentary starting at 4:00 pm BST.

Click here for more details on BBC coverage.

[ad_2]
Source link