Race
2009 World Drivers' Champion Jenson Button made his debut for McLaren after changing teams from 2009 Constructors' Champion team Brawn in November 2009. Seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher made his return to Formula One with Mercedes, Felipe Massa returned for Ferrari after his head injury at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix , and Timo Glock returned with the Virgin team following his accident at the 2009 Japanese Grand Prix . All the previous winners of the event were present: Jenson Button won the 2009 Bahrain Grand Prix , with the Ferrari pair of Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa both being two-time winners at this circuit. Schumacher won the first event in 2004. At 24 drivers and cars, this was the first time more than 22 cars had started Grand Prix since the 1995 Japanese Grand Prix (which also had 24 starters) and the largest event entry list since the 1997 Australian Grand Prix weekend where 24 cars were entered (but only 21 cars started that race). The first corner of the first lap saw Mark Webber's engine release copious amounts of oil smoke, triggering a sequence of events that saw Adrian Sutil and Robert Kubica spin around and fall to the back of the field. The first lap was otherwise clean, with Sebastian Vettel quickly converting his pole position into the race lead. Fernando Alonso got past teammate Felipe Massa , to get second, and both Mercedes drivers also gained a place, with Nico Rosberg fourth ahead of Lewis Hamilton , and Mich... The first round of pit stops also proved to be the only round of stops, with Vettel stretching out enough of a lead to prevent the Ferraris from leap-frogging them. Elsewhere, good work from the McLaren crew allowed both their drivers to gain a place in the stops; Hamilton on Rosberg, and Jenson Button on Webber. The list of retirements grew on lap 23 when Pedro de la Rosa in the second BMW Sauber was also struck by a hydraulic issue. Vettel continued to lead comfortably, two seconds ahead of Alonso and a further three ahead of Massa. However, he began to noticeably slow down during the latter part of the race due to a problem that was later identified within the team as a problem with a spark plug, and was quickly passed by the two Ferraris and Hamilton, and spent the rest of the race trying to hold Rosberg at bay. Alonso went on to win the race, joining Juan Manuel Fangio , Giancarlo Baghetti , Mario Andretti , Nigel Mansel... The new section of the circuit used by Formula One for the first time also drew criticism from both drivers and fans alike, with most claiming the added corners offered little in the way of passing opportunities. For the next Bahrain Grand Prix in 2012 , Formula One would revert to using the original Grand Prix Circuit. Notes:
Practice and qualifying
Adrian Sutil set the fastest time for the Force India team in the first session of free practice on Friday morning. Fernando Alonso ( Ferrari ) was second, ahead of Robert Kubica ( Renault ), Felipe Massa in the other Ferrari, and the two McLaren drivers, Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton . On his return to Formula One, Michael Schumacher set the tenth-fastest time for Mercedes , two positions behind teammate Nico Rosberg . Of the new teams, both Lotus drivers and Timo Glock set times, but Lucas ... In session 2 of free practice, Nico Rosberg set the fastest time, with Hamilton in second and Schumacher came third. Senna was struggling to match the pace of the fastest GP2 Asia Series drivers, but eventually did so, four seconds off the pace of the Virgins. [ citation needed ] In the Saturday free practice session, Alonso in the Ferrari set the fastest time of 1:54.099, 0.269 seconds faster than Nico Rosberg in the Mercedes. Hispania's Karun Chandhok failed to participate in the practice session due to a hydraulic problem. Elsewhere, the Virgin of Glock lost its left-front wheel in the middle of the session, with the problem being attributed to an under-torqued airgun.
Qualifying
Red Bull 's Sebastian Vettel took pole late in the third session, edging out the Ferraris of Massa and Alonso, with 2008 World Champion Lewis Hamilton in fourth. Mercedes's Nico Rosberg and seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher were fifth and seventh respectively, with Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull teammate Mark Webber splitting them. Jenson Button could only manage eighth place, while ninth and tenth were taken by Robert Kubica and Adrian Sutil in the remaining Renault and Force India. [ 9...
Race Result
| Pos | No | Driver | Constructor | Part 1 | Part 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull-Renault | 1:55.029 | 1:53.883 |
| 2 | 7 | Felipe Massa | Ferrari | 1:55.313 | 1:54.331 |
| 3 | 8 | Fernando Alonso | Ferrari | 1:54.612 | 1:54.172 |
| 4 | 2 | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:55.341 | 1:54.707 |
| 5 | 4 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes | 1:55.463 | 1:54.682 |
| 6 | 6 | Mark Webber | Red Bull-Renault | 1:55.298 | 1:54.318 |
| 7 | 3 | Michael Schumacher | Mercedes | 1:55.593 | 1:55.105 |
| 8 | 1 | Jenson Button | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:55.715 | 1:55.168 |
| 9 | 11 | Robert Kubica | Renault | 1:55.511 | 1:54.963 |
| 10 | 14 | Adrian Sutil | Force India-Mercedes | 1:55.213 | 1:54.996 |
Championship Standings After This Race
The Paddock Breakdown
Barry · Gary · KatGary — 33 · Three Fantasy F1 leagues
Let's examine the Renault power unit here; the 3. 5-liter V8 was operating at a peak 880 horsepower, a considerable advantage over the Mercedes' 660. The increased displacement, coupled with a refined intake manifold design – reportedly optimized for denser air at the Sakhir circuit's altitude – delivered a tangible performance edge, evidenced by Massa's consistently rapid lap times. Force India's Mercedes-powered package, while impressive, struggled to fully exploit the engine's potential, suggesting a calibration challenge.
Let's examine the data. Pole position, a deceptively simple metric, reveals a critical divergence here. Alonso secured the start, his first since joining Ferrari, but consider this: McLaren held the top two grid slots, a trend that, statistically, mirrored their dominant 2008 performance. This suggests a renewed focus on aerodynamic development, specifically around the front wing geometry, as McLaren aggressively pursued a solution to their early-season struggles. The fact that Massa secured second, despite starting second, warrants deeper investigation into differential brake bias and its impact on early-corner traction.
Kat — 30 · Technical journalist
The gearbox. Observe the telemetry – a stuttering torque rise from first to second, precisely 1. 7 milliseconds delayed. Massa's aggressive launch necessitated a significant load shift through the unit, pushing the differential to its absolute limit. The resultant wheelspin, estimated at 38%, compounded the issue, creating a transient instability. A delicate balance, wouldn't you agree? The team's subsequent adjustments, a subtle tweak to the rear wing ride height, were a desperate attempt to quell the oscillation. Without that immediate intervention, the entire car would have been lost.
The rain, a persistent, sullen grey, mirrored Alonso's expression as he climbed from the cockpit. A subtle tightening around the left rear tire – a consequence, no doubt, of that late-race kerb negotiation. Massa, ever the stoic, simply recorded the telemetry, a barely perceptible frown etching itself onto his face. The rear suspension geometry, particularly the anti-roll bar stiffness, dictated a significant load shift during those braking zones, a factor the team had been wrestling with since Sepang. Hamilton's relentless pressure, amplified by McLaren's aggressive strategy, presented a constant, sharp challenge. A delicate balance, maintaining composure while adjusting the differential's sensitivity – a critical element for maximizing traction out of Turn 1.