The lights are off in Bahrain, and the teams are looking forward to China for the fourth round of the Formula One season.
However, before we get to China, let’s take a look back at what we learnt from the Bahrain Grand Prix over the weekend.
Mercedes aren’t getting any weaker
Mercedes romped away with another one-two finish at Sakhir, and continuing their dominance of 2014.
Hamilton led home Rosberg yet again, in what was a tense fight between the two throughout the race, especially during the closing stages following the safety car period.
In only two laps after the restart, the two drivers were 10 seconds clear of Sergio Perez in third, who ended up taking the final podium position 23 seconds behind Rosberg.
It wasn’t just the works team that was strong either, with six Mercedes-powered cars taking points, with both the Red Bulls and the Ferraris finishing in the top 10.
Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen finished ninth and 10th respectively, whereas Vettel was complaining throughout the race about a lack of straight line speed and power, which goes on to further enhance the dominance Mercedes has in the power-unit department.
Team orders
After the Malaysian GP, team orders were the talk of the paddock leading into the race, and it appears they may still be as the season moves on to China.
Valteri Bottas and Felipe Massa battled in their Williams cars without team orders (at least to our knowledge at this stage), although Massa did send messages to the pit-wall about Bottas having rear tyre problems.
Paddy Lowe, these days a Mercedes’ Executive Director, sent a message along to both Hamilton and Rosberg during the Safety Car period.
“There are around ten laps remaining, can we make sure we bring both cars home.”
The implied message from Lowe seemed to be to hold position until the chequered flag, however Hamilton and Rosberg continued to fight tooth and nail for the lead. In the end they brought both cars home, which Toto Wolff, another Mercedes Director, said was the main message.
One surprise during the race was Sebastian Vettel succumbing to team orders within Red Bull early in the race.
When his DRS was malfunctioning early in the race, the team urged him to let Ricciardo past, and he obliged, which may come to a bit of a shock to many casual supporters of Formula One.
“Pasta Marinara”
Following his victory in Spain in 2012, many heralded Pastor Maldonado for his drive in Catalunya, Williams’ first victory in eight years.
However many turned on him shortly thereafter, when he started to make a name for himself colliding with other drivers.
Covering the Monaco GP for Ten/ONE, Alan Jones dubbed him “Pasta Marinara” following incidents across the weekend: a big fall from grace for someone who won the previous grand prix.
He was at it again in Bahrain, taking out Esteban Gutierrez when he was exiting the pit lane, diving up the inside at speed, upending the Mexican’s Sauber, ending his race, and bringing out the Safety Car.
He was slapped with a ten second stop-go penalty, a five place grid penalty for the Chinese GP, and lost three points from his FIA Super Licence.
McLaren downshifts a gear
McLaren opened the season strongly in Melbourne, with both Kevin Magnussen and Jenson Button finishing second and third.
However, fast-forward to Bahrain, both drivers retired from the race for McLaren for the first time since the 2006 United States GP.
Magnussen’s retirement has been confirmed to be because of gearbox issues, it is believed that Button’s retirement was of a similar nature.
The teams will stay in Bahrain for a few extra days with a two day in-season test taking place at the circuit from Tuesday, before the teams head into Shanghai for Easter and the Chinese Grand Prix.
Nicholas Belardo
Roar Guru
My thoughts exactly. While the penalty should be harsh, it should be applied to the team, not the driver. But, what can you do? What's done is done. And you're right about the safest place being inside the car. We have lost way too many marshalls around the world over recent years, even here in Melbourne, because of loose wheels and debris.
fishy
Guest
if you remember last year when someone's (Webber's?) wheel wasn't properly fastened it came loose after pulling out and smashed into a cameraman knocking him over and breaking some of his ones. A wheel and tyre weighs about 20kg, and could easily kill someone. That's why the penalty for unsafe release is so harsh. Redbull (not ricciardo) deserved that penalty, and whilst I think Crashdonaldo is a menace who should be fired, it's pretty well known the safest place around the F1 circuit is INSIDE the car, that's why we havent had a death in 20 years (RIP Senna and Ratzenburger).
Rodney Gordon
Expert
Perez passed Hulkenberg when he was wrong footed after a failed attempt at overtaking Massa. I thought Massa was a little rough pushing Hulk as far across as he did but it was deemed clean. I saw the Perez move one of patience and perserverance rather than the risky, aggressive approach of Hulk. This time it paid off for him, next time it may not.
Rodney Gordon
Expert
He still did very well to almost make it onto the podium from 14th and overtake Hulkenberg considering Force India were in form at a track that worked to their strengths. But yeah, the problem maybe isn't the Ricciardo love in the headline but the brief mention in the article. RIC was good this weekend, no question.
Rodney Gordon
Expert
Ahhh, editors. Gotta love em.
Bogan Baiter
Guest
as opposed to the not petty Qld, Vic, SA, WA etc stock?
Simoc
Guest
An average write-up to what was a great race. Ricciardo pulled an excellent pass on Vettel at the end when the Red Bulls seemed to suddenly be faster than the Mercedes powered Force India. Of course he was also let past earlier in the race by Vettel. Also good to see Perez upsetting Hulkenburg by passing him easily and taking a podium, only Force Indias second ever. So far we see Ferrari motors and the Mercedes powered McLaren are slower than predicted and the Mercedes powered Force India, and the Williams are going faster. The Lotus is a long way off the pace still and the Renault motor needs more speed. Great to see the drivers ignoring team orders again and going for broke. Lots of great wheel to wheel racing and only Pastor M stuffing up completely and dangerously so for the Sauber driver. It's a pity we have immature childish comments here but one can expect that from the petty NSW stock.
Yawhoa of NSW and now WA
Guest
Yes, by far the best race in a long time Dan Ricciardo did an amazing job coming up through the field but was again out of luck which could have seen him snag 3rd position "if only" the pace/safty car did not do an extra few laps for some unknown reason. Anyhow i think Christian Horner the (wife cheater) will be doing all he can to insure his "pet boy" Seb Vettel is in the superior car ! this will test Dan Ricciardo's resolve (smile) in the coming months.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
And Pastor also got 3 points on his lisence too which may have implications for him down the track if he gets involved like this again. With the 5 place grid penalty he'll probably be starting from the back of the grid anyway in China, considering how poor the Lotus' performance is at the moment.
Nicholas Belardo
Roar Guru
Force India are starting to remind me of Jordan in the late 90's now. Funny that it's effectively the same team. Very solid team they have there. The McLaren's were disappointing, but they did retire with technical problems, Magnussen with the gerabox failure, and word is Button's clutch went. Massa's start was fantastic, just shot out like a champagne cork! Reminded me of a few of Alonso's through 2012.
Alfred Chan
Expert
The Force Indias were fantastic. Ricciardo was good but I really liked Hulkenburg's race. The battle between the Hulk and Perez mid race was just as good as the one up front and the team has made some huge strides over the past 12 months. The McLarens were very disappointing. Not sure what happened to Jenson Button during that safety car but his tyres looked ice cold when they resumed. Magnusson was also very disappointing. I suspect we'll see them make engine changes. How good was Massa's start? It could be the best we see all season. I'm loving all the in-team battles at the moment.
Nicholas Belardo
Roar Guru
Didn't pick the headline originally, it was the generic, vague "What have we learnt from the Bahrain GP?" before editors changed it to what they saw fit.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Curious that the title includes the words "but how good is Daniel Riccardo" and then the only reference to him at all in the rest of the story is Vettel being told to let Riccardo past when Vettel was having problems and that he then did so.
Fivehole
Guest
Agree - how flipping someone is not as bad as the pitstop error amazes me
Nicholas Belardo
Roar Guru
I was surprised as well. You'd think a 10-spot penalty was all but guaranteed once his double-punishment came through.
NickBrisbane
Guest
So Riccardo gets 10 place penalty because of a stuffed up pit stop and Maldonardo gets 5 for nearly killing someone - WTF
NickBrisbane
Guest
So Riccardo gets 10 place penalty because of a stuffed up pit stop and Maldonardo gets 5 for nearly killing someone - WTF