[Official] Bahrain Grand Prix 2024: Grand Prix Weekend Thread - Round 1 of 24

[Born Racer]

It seems to be that growing older (and hopefully in the process wiser) prompts the sense that time passes by faster and faster, so the sense may be linked to that, but it does seem slightly surprising to realise that it has been twenty years since we had the first Bahrain Grand Prix. Looking back at the drivers involved back then and it was clearly a different era and yet for so long, Bahrain somehow felt one of the newer Grands Prix.

All being well, we will finally have our 24-Grand Prix calendar this year. Whether you consider it excessive, perfectly fine or even too meagre, we doubtless have another fantastic season of Formula 1 racing in store – a series that sometimes frustrates us and fascinates us with rules and regulations, such as its application or non-application of penalties, presence of DRS, attempts to provide entertainment, but often does the most seemingly inappropriate thing, or its political wranglings – yet one which has the power to put us on the edge of our seats (and sometimes jump off them), thrill with its wheel-to-wheel action and pit great drivers and teams against each other in a competition of absolute excellence at high-speed.

We will traverse the planet, a wide range of circuits, we will see delight, despair and maybe tears of frustration and joy, and there will probably be several victors or ones who believe they have achieved a great season. Ultimately, there will be one winning driver and one winning constructor, and it is never, ever guaranteed, even if it looks like it is.


Trivia

With 24 World Championship Grands Prix, this is set to be the longest F1 season yet held.

For the first time in the series’ history, all drivers from the last race of the previous season are competing for the same teams in the new one.

It marks the first time since 1951 that no rookies have featured at the start of the season.

However, two teams have changed name, with AlphaTauri becoming RB and Alfa Romeo becoming Kick Sauber.

This is the first time in F1 history that a team has reverted twice to its original name (in part). Sauber became BMW Sauber, became Sauber again, became Alfa Romeo, then became Kick Sauber.

Two teams have changed name the most times – five. After Jordan, this team became MF1, Spyker, Force India, Racing Point and then Aston Martin, while the team that began as Toleman turned into Benetton, Renault, Lotus, Renault again, then Alpine.

By remaining at Mercedes for one more season, Lewis Hamilton starts his twelfth season at a team – one more than Michael Schumacher did for Ferrari between 1996 and 2006.

Fernando Alonso keeps extending his record as the most experienced F1 driver in history – now in his 21st season - although he actually started out 23 years ago, as he has had three seasons out – 2002, 2019 and 2020. He currently has 377 starts from 380 Grands Prix.

11 of the 20 drivers have won at least one Grand Prix. Haas, Williams and McLaren are the only teams to have no Grand Prix-winning driver.

There are 12 drivers’ world championships among the drivers – Alonso, with 2, Verstappen, with 3, and Hamilton, with 7.

115 Grands Prix after his last win in 2013, Kimi Räikkönen took his final victory at the US Grand Prix in 2018. This is the longest stretch of Grands Prix between wins. However, Alonso (who also last took the spoils in 2013), has now gone 181 Grands Prix without a win. If he does it, it will not only be the biggest gap between wins in terms of number of Grands Prix, but also in terms of time.

As constructors, Ferrari have the most wins, with 243, followed by McLaren, on 183, Mercedes, with 125, and Williams, with 114. Red Bull are closing in, with 113.


The track




Other information

Circuit length: 5.412km
Number of laps: 57
Race distance: 308.238km
Race Lap Record: 1:31.447 (Pedro de la Rosa - McLaren-Mercedes - 2005)
Dry weather tyre compounds: C1, C2 & C3
First Bahrain Grand Prix: 2004

Get those entries in for the Predictions Contest before qualifying on Friday: https://tentenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=158622

And get those team entries in for Fantasy F1 before FP1 today: https://tentenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=158615