The Bahrain Grand Prix from a tire point of view

Bahrain will be a challenge for tires, as testing on Pirelli tires was never fully completed. Tire tests were carried out there as Pirelli geared up to its Formula One return but there were problems. On the first outing, the test was interrupted by a sandstorm that blew sand onto the track and stopped the test car running: a situation that highlights one of the most prominent characteristics of the Middle Eastern circuit, which is located in the middle of the desert.

Sand frequently gets onto the track and reduces grip, but it is very hard to predict when and where. Pirelli will bring the P Zero White medium tires and P Zero Yellow soft tires to Bahrain: the same combination used in Australia and China.

The Sakhir circuit will revert to its original 5.412-kilometre track layout in 2012, having used an extended loop the last time that the race was run in 2010. The 15 corners and variable track width provide ample opportunity for overtaking. Traction and braking form the main challenges of the circuit, with the cars going from 315kph to 65kph in just 130 metres and three seconds at turn one. This generates forces on the tires equivalent to 5G. The surrounding sand means that the track can be very dirty, especially at the beginning of the weekend, so it is very important for drivers to stick to the racing line, particularly on the fast but twisty section from turns four to seven.

The circuit is very tough on the rear tires because there are many first, second and third gear turns where you need plenty of traction and grip, and the tires suffer a lot as a result. That’s why it’s a good track for tire testing.

The track is also tough on the brakes because there are turns such as the first, fourth and last one where hard braking is required, going from seventh to second gear. Overtaking is possible with the kilometre-long main straight, another long one between turns one and four and a final incredibly long straight between turns 13 and 14. How the DRS works is also very important: with DRS and slipstreaming, overtaking should not be a problem.

The wind in Bahrain has a big influence on the behaviour of the car and braking, for example, going from 320kph to 70kph, if the driver gets it wrong by a only couple of metres, it’s very easy to lock the front tires and get a flat spot, and this is a common sight on turn one in Bahrain. Camber reduction is a must in order to put the maximum amount of the surface of the rubber on the asphalt to achieve good braking and traction. Reducing downforce because of the large number of straights is also a challenge for the drivers.

The asphalt surface, made up of 60,000 tonnes of imported granite from England, offers good grip when clean and is classified as medium in terms of abrasion.

Fernando Alonso is the most successful driver in Bahrain with three victories to his name, followed by his Ferrari team mate Felipe Massa. Michael Schumacher and Jenson Button are the only other winners.

The first corner is a critical one. It’s important to exit turn one cleanly in order to make the most of the left-hand kink that follows and get a good drive onto the straights. Many places are won and lost here at the start.