Bahrain: pre-qualifying 2022

In an unexpected COVID-19 twist, Ricciardo is now recovered and racing but Vettel’s pestilent and replaced by the ever-returning Nico Hulkenberg. Gosh.

Practice will be a better indicator than testing of pace but there will still be some sandbags attached so don’t get too absorbed in precise timings, although a vague pecking order, broadly in line with expectations, appears to have emerged. Also, note that second practice, unlike the first and third, is at the same sort of time as qualifying and the race, so may well be the most representative session in terms of time.

In first practice it was a surprise to see Gasly topping the timesheet, a third of a second ahead of Leclerc, who was followed by his Spanish team mate. After Sainz were Russell and Verstappen, with Stroll, Hamilton, Alonso, Tsunoda, and Perez rounding out the top 10.

Second practice had the more expected Verstappen as fastest man, but only eight-hundredths up on Leclerc. Sainz was next but half a second off the pace, so more time to be gained for him, it seems. Russell was only nine-thousandths off the Spaniard, and then there was a third of a second back to Alonso. Bottas was marginally faster than Perez, and Schumacher finished ahead of Hamilton, with Magnussen 10th.

At this stage it seems to be a Verstappen/Leclerc battle for pole. Sainz could get some more pace, I think, and it’ll be interesting to see if Haas can get into the points after a torrid 2021. McLaren did not trouble the top 10 in either of the first two sessions. By the end of second practice, Hulkenberg was just a tenth off Stroll’s pace, which reminds us (again) the German really should have a race seat.

Verstappen was fastest ahead of Leclerc by a tenth in final practice, with Perez a couple of tenths off his team mate. Russell was next, then Sainz, with Hamilton 6th (the Mercedes having taken a seemingly substantial step forward but still not quite with the Red Bulls and Ferraris). Magnussen was next up for Haas, on merit, with Bottas and Zhou indicating the Alfa Romeo is also looking tasty. Stroll was 10th for Aston Martin.

In third practice Ricciardo finally got going, having lost much of second practice to a water leak. Tsunoda had no running at all because his hydraulics went on strike.

 

At the moment I think Verstappen has a strong shot of pole, with Leclerc perhaps his only genuine competition. Haas continue their strong testing form and Alfa Romeo are looking good too.

The race is expected to be a two-stopper, so I wonder if Perez might engage his old tyre management skills to just do one.

Leclerc is 4 for pole. A third the odds for top 2 is somewhat tempting. However, Verstappen was on slightly older tyres for his fast lap at the end. Hmm. If you’ve got a free bet, I’d go for it, but we still don’t know real pace so I’m disinclined to back it.

 

Qualifying starts at 3pm UK time. Pre-race ramble will be up tomorrow morning.

Morris Dancer

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