The Ferrari revival plan doesn't just involve the factory; it also extends to the desks that matter. The coming days will be intense for Luca Montezemolo, who, on Tuesday, April 1, 2014, during countless meetings with the team principal Stefano Domenicali, is planning a series of interventions at the highest levels of Formula 1 to express his concerns about a spectacle seemingly tailored for one team (Mercedes) and, in his view, penalising Ferrari and its fans. The first of these appointments is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon in London, directly with the big boss of the Circus, Bernie Ecclestone. Montezemolo will find fertile ground with him. Ecclestone has always been fiercely opposed to the new engines, although he has recently relaxed his stance a bit, as too many criticisms weaken the product. There have been no previews from their respective staff regarding the content of this meeting. However, it is inevitable that the power structure of F1's future will be discussed. In recent days some had mentioned the possibility of Bernie aiming to create a new series together with Red Bull. But Ferrari has deemed the project unlikely and is more interested in continuing to play a leading role in the new board (and perhaps imposing some reforms, like the reintroduction of tests or a third car). After the meeting with Ecclestone, Montezemolo has scheduled a more delicate face-to-face with his former employee Jean Todt, who is now the head of the FIA. He is the one who wanted Formula 1 to be the way it is today. And Montezemolo wants to achieve the best results in terms of fairness (the process against Red Bull is imminent) and guarantees for the future (the issue of flow metres) from him. Montezemolo will try to voice his complaints about an F1 that he doesn't like, which penalises drivers too much, forcing them not to push too hard. But he will have to do so cautiously to avoid hearing that this only happens to Ferrari drivers, as the others push hard. Then, Montezemolo will go to Bahrain to be close to the team. However, he doesn't expect too much, as the circuit doesn't suit the car. To see signs of recovery, you'll have to wait for the Chinese Grand Prix. Nonetheless, there is optimism in Ferrari. There's a lot to do, a lot to work on, but on the eve of the Bahrain Grand Prix, where the third race of the season will take place on Sunday, April 6, 2014, Alonso and Raikkonen share the same perspective. The Spaniard defends Ferrari's chances for the championship, and the Finn reiterates that Maranello's cars will be able to recover. Says the Spaniard:
"It would be very sad if I felt from now on that we can't compete for the title in the final race in Abu Dhabi. I am convinced that we can do a good job. We are in the early stages of car development, and this year, unlike the half a second we could hope to gain until 2013, we are improving by two tenths per lap. There is a lot of room for growth, and we can become much more competitive. I am sure we will compete until Abu Dhabi. In the meantime, however, we need to improve the F14T in all areas. We will do our best; we have only raced two races, there is still a long way to go, and we are ready to fight".
He continues:
"The really fast cars are sorely missed. These single-seaters are much less physically demanding than in the past. For example, in the past, Malaysia required a specific training program. That said, even this year's cars are challenging to drive because they are more slippery, and we have even more controls to manage during the race than in the past. On second thought, it's interesting to note how Formula 1 cars have changed during my 14-year career".
Nevertheless, the Spaniard has decided to have confidence in the new format of the category:
"There will always be exciting races and boring ones, just like in football. Sometimes there are terrible goalless draws, while other times there are exciting 5-4 matches that are a lot of fun".
Kimi Raikkonen, on the other hand, says in the traditional Thursday press meeting:
"In Malaysia, the car was more or less the same as in Australia, although, clearly, we had a better understanding of the F14 T, and we were on a completely different circuit from Melbourne. These two factors made a difference, and, in general, we performed much better in Malaysia, even though we're not yet at the level we expect. There are many things to improve in all areas, but we have the right people and all the tools we need to fix the problems. It will take time, but we will recover. Regarding this weekend, if we start well as we did in Malaysia but don't encounter the issues that affected us during the race in Sepang, we can have a good weekend".
When asked about his relationship with his teammate, Fernando Alonso, the Finn explains that there are more important things to focus on.
"I haven't formed a specific opinion on the subject yet because I'm giving my all to try to resolve the adaptation issues with the car. If I can resolve those, I can achieve results in line with my ambitions. That's our goal. For this reason, I haven't had much time to think about Fernando, except when I've looked at his data and lap times. So far, I haven't found anything within the team that I didn't expect".
Inevitably, in light of the numerous controversies that have accompanied the first two events of the championship, the question arises of whether he likes Formula 1 in its 2014 edition up to this point in the season.
"It makes no difference whether I like it or not. We don't make the rules, and we can't change them; these are the facts. Sometimes you find yourself in situations where you can't choose, but you can only try to make the best of what's there. That's why I don't see the reason to keep asking myself whether I like the sound of the engine or the new format of the category".
The new Formula 1 is disapproved of by the fans. The poll on the official Ferrari website has ended, with over 50.000 fans expressing their opinions. 83% of the voters were disappointed with the new format of the category, primarily criticising it for forcing drivers to act like accountants to save fuel. In addition to this, fans are unhappy with the sound of the new engines and confused by the overly complex new rules. The percentage of dissent has exponentially increased after the Malaysian Grand Prix. Not very noisy. Worse, boring, with few overtakes, unknown emotions, cars over nine seconds slower, as Alonso tells it, between Hamilton's fast lap in Malaysia and the one achieved on the same track years ago by Vettel with his Red Bull, drivers having to be accountants to save fuel and reach the finish line. This can't go on, and Maranello is convinced of this, starting with President Montezemolo, who has been striving for a counter-revolution for days and, after meeting Ecclestone in London, is ready to plunge into Bahrain on Sunday to champion the cause with another summit with Bernie Ecclestone and Jean Todt, the FIA President. Ferrari would like a shorter Grands Prix (to overcome the reduced fuel quantity) and the removal of the flow metre. A step back that ignites the discussion in the paddock, also because such a radical change in the middle of the season requires unanimous approval from the teams. Fans would welcome a change of course. Alonso relies on a very simple observation:
"If you give us more fuel, we go faster. Otherwise, there's nothing to be done. The lap times demonstrate how much the cars have been slowed down. And for us drivers who love speed, it's certainly not a good thing".
It might be better to return to the old ways. Raikkonen thinks the same, even if he acknowledges that, whether one likes it or not:
"These are the rules, and we have to accept them. Drivers are not given the right to change them".
It might be possible to achieve this if everyone agreed, and Red Bull is in agreement, with Vettel perpetually expressing dissatisfaction with the new F1:
"Where in the pit lane, you can talk freely with the car running".
However, it's challenging to make headway against Mercedes, which has received new energy from the transformation. Hamilton is categorical.
"Change the regulations? Don't even talk about it. We started like this, and this is how we have to continue".
The sentiment is shared by Rosberg:
"One must be open to new things. Sooner or later, you get used to everything".
The show is undoubtedly lacking, and on this, Bernie Ecclestone agrees, Luca Montezemolo is very focused. Jean Todt, however, has a different opinion:
"The real problem in F1 is the excessively high costs, not the lack of noise or overtaking. We need to put a cap on expenses, 150 million euros annually per team".
Meanwhile, Ecclestone, whether joyful or bored, rubs his hands at the thought of a broader F1, with one more team, that of the American Haas, ready to enter in 2015 with Haas Automation, now on the track in American Nascar. In the meantime, Mercedes' dominance continues in the free practice sessions of the Bahrain Grand Prix. Englishman Lewis Hamilton confirmed himself as the fastest on the Sakhir circuit, with a time of 1'34"325, ahead of his teammate, the German Nico Rosberg. Spanish driver Fernando Alonso, in the Ferrari, maintains the third position he held in the morning but finishes the second session one second behind Lewis Hamilton. Daniel Ricciardo records the fourth-best time with the Red Bull, leaving behind the Williams of Brazilian Felipe Massa, the McLaren of Jenson Button, and Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull. Kimi Raikkonen, with the other Ferrari, doesn't go beyond the fourteenth position in the sessions characterised by a wider use of the Soft tyres compared to the earlier tests. In the morning, Lewis Hamilton had been the fastest, always followed by his teammate, Nico Rosberg. Alonso set the third-best time, leaving behind the Force India of Nico Hulkenberg and the McLaren of Jenson Button. Kimi Raikkonen, aboard the other Ferrari, recorded the sixth-best time, followed by McLaren's Kevin Magnussen, Toro Rosso's Daniil Kvyat, and Force India's Sergio Perez. Sebastian Vettel had set the tenth-best time. Meanwhile, in Europe, Michael Schumacher is making progress, so much so that at times, he has moments of awareness and awakens. This was reported by spokesperson Sabine Kehm after rumours had spread about the deterioration of the driver.
"Michael is making progress in his journey. He shows moments of consciousness and wakefulness. We are with him during this long and difficult battle, alongside the Grenoble hospital team, and we remain hopeful".
Schumacher has been in a coma since his skiing accident on December 29, 2013, in the French Alps. Since January, doctors have been gradually and slowly reducing sedatives to induce him to awaken from his induced coma.
"We have all been with him in his long and difficult struggle, together with the medical staff at the Grenoble hospital, and we remain confident".
Kehm avoids going into details and, while thanking the fans for their support, calls for respecting Michael's privacy:
"We do not intend to disclose details. This is necessary to protect Michael's privacy and his family and to allow the medical staff to work in peace".
The spokesperson also urges against spreading false news. Among them is the one, already denied, that Michael's wife, Corinna, is considering building a mini-hospital at home to accommodate her husband. Words of hope are welcomed with great participation by the racing community, focused on the early free practice sessions of the Bahrain Grand Prix. The single-seaters race on the Sakhir track, which has dedicated the first corner to Michael Schumacher and left a message:
"Our thoughts and prayers are with you, Michael".
The news particularly brings a smile to the Mercedes team, which experienced the years 2010-2012 with Michael Schumacher:
"Michael, you are in our hearts. Keep fighting as only you know how".
There is silence from the Ferrari team, but not from Felipe Massa, who spent many years with Michael Schumacher in the same team.
"It's a beautiful moment; I'm happy. I continue to pray because there is still much to do. Michael, hang in there, and come back to us soon".
Aldo Costa got to know Michael in Maranello and then had him at Mercedes.
"With him, I spent many years. I know the tough shell, and I think this is a big step forward".
Since the end of January, when doctors began to reduce the medication. Many turn to Twitter, like Rosberg:
"Great news before starting to drive".
An emotional wave but also significant opinions, like that of Gary Hartstein, a former F1 doctor:
"It's a superb day. Now, I am optimistic too. Being awake and conscious means not being in a vegetative state. He can do it".
On Saturday, April 5, 2014, the third practice session was also dominated by the Mercedes duo, with Lewis Hamilton ahead of Nico Rosberg. However, Sergio Pérez managed to secure the third position. The top six positions on the leaderboard were occupied by drivers with Mercedes-powered cars. The two Red Bull cars dropped in the rankings, with Sebastian Vettel experiencing a spin that forced him to abandon the session. A few hours later, during the first phase of the qualifying session, Nico Hülkenberg recorded the fastest time, followed by Valtteri Bottas and his teammate Sergio Pérez.
The two Mercedes drivers, who had dominated the practice sessions, chose to use the Medium tires, resulting in only eighth and tenth place for the session. Drivers excluded from Q2 included Pastor Maldonado (beaten by Romain Grosjean by 0.01 seconds), Adrian Sutil, and the driver pairs from Caterham and Marussia. In Q2, the two Mercedes drivers used the Soft tires and recorded the best two times with just one attempt. Daniel Ricciardo secured the third-best time, surpassing Jenson Button. The other Red Bull driver, reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel, failed to qualify for the decisive phase. Nico Hülkenberg, the fastest driver in Q1, also failed to qualify, along with the two Toro Rosso drivers, Esteban Gutiérrez, and Romain Grosjean. In Q3, Nico Rosberg set the fastest time, while Lewis Hamilton, second after the first attempt, made a mistake during the second fast lap and couldn't catch up to his teammate. This resulted in Nico Rosberg claiming his fifth pole position in his career. Daniel Ricciardo finished third, but he would be penalised with a ten-position grid penalty due to a decision made after the Malaysian Grand Prix. Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez climbed to the second row. At the end of the practice sessions, Adrian Sutil was penalised with a five-position grid penalty, placing him at the back of the grid, for obstructing Romain Grosjean during Q1. Additionally, two points were deducted from his Super License.
Nico Rosberg was elated at the end of the qualifying session, stating:
"I worked hard throughout the weekend; I found a way to make progress and solve some small problems and fully understand what to do. The real challenge was represented by the change in temperatures between the various sessions: we had to guess which setup would work better in the higher humidity conditions of the evening. I succeeded, put together a good lap, and I'm happy to start from pole. The result is perfect. I have great memories of this track: it's where I won the GP2 Championship and where I made my debut in Formula 1. I really like racing here, and everything went well today. I'm happy because I found a really good balance, so I can push really hard. Tomorrow will be a different story. Of course, with this car, we are the strongest: we have a good package, I feel good at the wheel, and everything is going the right way. It will be a tough battle with my teammate because Lewis is very strong: he is one of the best, not only in qualifying but in general, so this year will be tough".
Lewis Hamilton wasn't disappointed for missing the pole position:
"I'm not disappointed; of course, you always try to do well, but I have to congratulate Nico because he did a great job. He improved, recovered, and in the end, he did an excellent final lap. As for me, I think I made a mistake on the last lap, but overall, I'm happy, very proud of the team. We continue to progress, as we are doing. Today, Nico did a great job; I wasn't fast enough. In general, this weekend I started very strong, but then the gap got closer and closer, and in qualifying, he had a little more than me".
Regarding fuel consumption during the race, the British driver said:
"It won't be worse than what we've seen in the past. There's a lot of emphasis placed on the subject, but I believe that everything will be fine tomorrow".
Mercedes' team principal, Toto Wolff, added:
"I obviously like this ranking. Seeing the Mercedes so far ahead means that we have worked well, but we don't know how much fuel the other cars had, we will find out tomorrow during the race. Last year, there was a situation where we were taken by surprise; we were more competitive than we expected, just like Williams this year. It's only rules, and making them work is another story. We saw what happened to Williams, and they didn't expect to be so competitive, like us last year".
Regarding a possible rule change, the Austrian manager says:
"I believe that what we do is very important in the first place, we shouldn't denigrate ourselves, I think it's a very risky strategy, and we shouldn't opportunistically embrace it. Then we have to listen to the fans. Of course, what Ferrari did is a positive thing (referring to Montezemolo meeting with Ecclestone and Todt). We need to understand what fans appreciate and what they don't, and we need to discuss how we can improve the show. Is the issue of fuel saving wrong? Our cars and those of others pushed throughout the race, and I haven't seen any of the cars conserving fuel. Let's try to understand what doesn't work, work in that direction, and find a solution. We shouldn't have an emotional reaction, as in the case of the decision on double points, for example, which was not the best decision we could make".
On being favoured on the Sakhir track, the team principal adds:
"It should be like that. There are long straights, and we perform well on straights. The heat is positive for all of us, and there shouldn't be any cooling problems. We can also reduce the engine cover without special adjustments like in Malaysia. Everything should go well. Of course, there's always the issue of reliability because you can have a fast car, but not know how to deal with the small hiccups that happen during the race. The challenge between my two drivers is very positive; they push each other. When you have a strong teammate, the challenge is more difficult, but the level increases throughout the weekend, from practice to qualifying. They are fair to each other, that doesn't mean they don't keep tricks from each other, but I'm very satisfied with the relationship between the two".
Daniel Ricciardo, despite facing a penalty, is still happy with his performance today, which placed him as the fastest driver after Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg:
"Well, I'm very happy with my performance; at the moment, it's the best anyone can do behind the two who are close to me. Clearly, we still have to catch up with Mercedes, but I'm very satisfied with my qualifying tonight".
Regarding the challenging track conditions, the Australian driver says:
"As Nico (Rosberg) said, it was very complicated because the temperatures drop a lot in the evening sessions, and as you saw in FP3, we were far behind, but we managed to react tonight, and it was nice to be able to reduce the gap; there's still a bit to go, but obviously tomorrow I won't be able to stay ahead; I'll have to work hard to try to move up".
It's a tough time for Ferrari and Fernando Alonso, who says:
"I think it's not anyone's fault; we did what we could. It's true that in qualifying, the power of the car decreased every lap. In Q2, I did 34.5; in Q3, with the best track and the best tires, I did 34.9, and on all the straights, I lost tenths. We need to look into this aspect if something happens with the engine or the electric motor, try to fix it, and do our best tomorrow".
Speaking about Mercedes' dominance, the Spaniard admits:
"Yes, I think we saw it even in the winter tests that it was a track suitable for them, with long straights where they can exploit maximum speed. I think there will also be circuits favourable to other cars soon, like Barcelona, Monaco, so let's try to defend ourselves here as best as possible, score as many points as possible, and take advantage when, hopefully, better circuits for us arrive and when we improve our performance. We are not satisfied; we have to improve, and we know it well, but for now, we need to have some patience".
Regarding an improved feeling with the F14-T, Kimi Raikkonen says:
"Yes, today, yes, yesterday I had a bit more difficulty. Even this morning, I had some difficulties, but I had confidence in myself, and we got the result we more or less expected. The car has improved throughout the weekend, but there's still a lot to do. We need to push together with the team, row in the same direction to improve, but there's already progress from my side, and I believe we have improved in all areas. We have a good base and good programs, we have the resources, it will take some time, but I'm quite confident about this. We have the right people in the team who can help us do this".
On Sunday, April 6, 2014, the Bahrain Grand Prix began at 6:00 p.m.. The weather at the start was dry and hot with the air temperature between 23 °C and 26 °C and a track temperature ranging from 26 °C to 30 °C The cooler temperatures reduced the advantage of the medium compound tyres over the soft compound to less than the two seconds observed during daylight conditions. Approximately 38.140 people attended the event. When the race started, Hamilton accelerated faster than teammate Rosberg off the line, moving ahead of him by using the space between the pit wall heading into the first corner. Hamilton oversteered after leaving turn three and moved to the outside of the track. Rosberg attempted to retake the lead by going around the outside at the fourth turn, but Hamilton defended the position. Alonso overtook teammate Raikkönen around the inside at the first turn and then made contact with Magnussen. Alonso continued with minor bodywork damage. Vergne was squeezed by Maldonado at the turn eight entry and attempted to pass him. Maldonado drive defensively and both made contact. Vergne had a punctured right-rear tyre, along with rear wing and floor damage, and drove to the pit lane for repairs. Massa made the best start of the field, moving from seventh to third by the end of the first lap, while Vergne lost eight positions over the same distance because of the Maldonado collision. At the end of the first lap, Hamilton led Rosberg by one second followed by: Massa, Pérez, Bottas, Button, Alonso, Hülkenberg, Räikkönen and Vettel. Having been unsuccessful in his attempts to retake the lead, Rosberg started to conserve fuel to prepare for an attack later in the race. Both he and Hamilton pulled away from the rest of the field. Hülkenberg passed Alonso by braking later than him at the first turn on lap four to move into seventh.
The Williams cars were harder on their tyres than the surrounding cars, and third-placed Massa came under pressure from Pérez while Button closed the gap to Bottas. Ricciardo went to the outside of Magnussen on the ninth lap and overtook him for eleventh driving into turn one. Ricciardo went off onto the corner's run-off area onto the exit kerbs, and defended his position from Kvyat who went to the inside of him going into turn four. Button battled Bottas around the inside heading towards the first turn on the following lap. The two drivers drove alongside each other through the following corner until Button moved in front of Bottas. Ricciardo caught up to Magnussen while Hülkenberg overtook Bottas for seventh position shortly afterwards. Ricciardo moved to the outside of Magnussen on the back straight and passed him after the McLaren slid while defending eleventh place on lap eleven. Pérez attacked Massa going into the fourth turn and overtook him for third place on the next lap through turns five and six. Massa attempted to reclaim the position driving into the turn seven hairpin, but locked his tyres and temporarily bowed out of the battle. Both Williams cars - as well as both Ferrari drivers - had to change from a two-stop to a three-stop strategy as a result of high tyre wear. Magnussen also converted to a three-stop strategy due to high tyre wear, but teammate Button was able to conserve his tyres well enough to continue with doing just two stops. Sutil and Bianchi twice impacted each other at the first turn with the second collision causing Sutil to stop at the corner with a puncture, and debris was littered on the track.
Bianchi's right-rear tyre was punctured and he went to the pit lane for a replacement wheel, but his car's floor was damaged, causing a loss in downforce which meant he had difficulty driving his car for the remainder of the race. Vettel's Drs stopped working and he was quickly caught by teammate Ricciardo by the 15th lap. Ricciardo told his team by radio that the two cars were losing time and Red Bull ordered Vettel to cede sixth place to Ricciardo which he did immediately. Hülkenberg made a pit stop on the same lap and overtook Räikkonen and Kvyat on his out-lap shortly afterwards. Having saved more fuel, Rosberg had more horsepower available for an attack. After using Drs down the pit straight he managed to briefly get past Hamilton by out-braking on the inside into turn one. However, Rosberg's late braking forced him slightly wide, and Hamilton switched to the inside to immediately retake the position from Rosberg. On the following lap, Rosberg attempted the same move into the first turn again, and this time managed to stay ahead through the turn. However, Hamilton managed to come back at his teammate to claim the inside for turn two, with the two coming perilously close to contact as Hamilton cut across to retake first from Rosberg. This overtake was critical because as the lead Mercedes car, it meant that Hamilton was called into the pit lane first - diving into the pit lane at the end of the lap to be fitted with the soft compound tyre - while Rosberg would make a pit stop on lap 21 and take on the harder medium tyre. Ricciardo and Button made pit stops on lap 20 while Bianchi was issued with a drive-through penalty because he was judged to have caused the incident between himself and Sutil. Button caught Räikkönen and used Drs to overtake him heading into the first corner. Sutil retired his Sauber after several slow laps on the track allowed him to gain more track experience. Vettel moved in front of Räikkönen by going around the inside without using the Drs system between the fourth and fifth turns, while Massa defended third position from teammate Bottas at the first turn. Three laps later, Massa came under pressure from Hülkenberg who attacked Massa by going around the inside heading towards the fourth turn and moved out of his slipstream, but Massa defended the place. Pérez took advantage to attack before entering turn five and moved in front of Hülkenberg.
Ricciardo locked his tyres going into turn one and narrowly avoided impacting Räikkönen, but caught him on the back straight. Bottas quickly caught the battle between Räikkönen and Ricciardo. He passed Ricciardo around the outside at turn one on the 30th lap and swerved left off onto a run-off area to avoid striking Räikkönen. Ricciardo retook the position. Hamilton created a gap on the faster tyre over the next phase of the race and by lap 32 he was 8.5 seconds ahead of Rosberg. Ricciardo was able to pass Räikkönen and Bottas attempted to move in front of Räikkönen going into the downhill turn eight and passed him on the back straight. Bottas closed up to Ricciardo while Massa passed Räikkönen on the back straight for ninth. Pérez made a pit stop on lap 35 and rejoined behind Alonso before immediately passing Alonso. Ricciardo lost seventh position when Massa passed him. Ericsson pulled over to the side of the track to retire with an oil leak which followed a loss of engine power on the 37th lap. Ricciardo overtook Räikkönen around the outside on the following lap and moved in front of Magnuseen shortly afterwards. Hamilton was around 10 seconds ahead of Rosberg with 17 laps remaining. However, with the soft compound tyre estimated to be as much as a second a lap faster than the medium compound, Rosberg still had a very good chance of catching up to his teammate in the remaining laps, as they were scheduled to be put on the opposite tyres for the final stint - Hamilton on medium tyres and Rosberg on the soft compound option. After rejoining the track following a pit stop on lap 41, Maldonado was unable to react to Gutiérrez steering right into the first corner and hit his right-rear corner. Gutiérrez rolled over twice in the air before landing upright on the track. The ensuing debris resulted in the deployment of the safety car. Gutiérrez remained in his car for some time before climbing out to be transported to the local hospital for examination. Magnussen retired with clutch problems on the 42nd lap. Both Mercedes drivers made pit stops during the safety car period, but its deployment meant Hamilton's lead of over 10 seconds over Rosberg was reduced to nothing. With no gap between them, Hamilton would be at a big disadvantage on medium tyres that were estimated to be around a second a lap slower as the two Mercedes cars scrapped for the lead.
As the safety car circulated, the team's technical director Paddy Lowe spoke to both Mercedes drivers on the radio to remind them that both cars needed to finish the race. With ten laps to go, the safety car drove into the pit lane and racing resumed. Hamilton defended from Rosberg heading into turn one, but Rosberg got the better line through the corner and through turns two and three, and he attempted to overtake again on the outside of turn four. Hamilton defended again, holding his teammate out wide and managed to maintain the lead. Pérez fended off a challenge from teammate Hülkenberg for third. Button fell to seventh after being passed by Vettel on the back straight and Ricciardo around the outside, while Maldonado was issued with a ten-second stop-and-go penalty for causing the incident between himself and Gutiérrez on lap 49 which he took immediately. With their drivers fighting hard for the lead, and with fuel no longer being a concern due to the safety car period, the Mercedes cars were being driven flat-out and the extent of their superiority was revealed for the first time; within three laps the two Mercedes had created a six-second gap over Pérez. Rosberg recorded the race's fastest lap on the 49th lap, completing a circuit of 1'37"020. Ricciardo passed teammate Vettel for fifth going on lap 50 into the first turn. Vettel attacked going up the hill heading towards turn four but Ricciardo defended the position. On lap 52, Rosberg again attempted a late braking move into turn one, but Hamilton managed to stay ahead by waiting for Rosberg to run wide from his late braking manoeuvre and turned in to switch to the inside and maintain his lead. Rosberg continued his assault by attempting the move again on the following lap, and again Hamilton drive defensively heading towards turn four and managed to hold on to the lead. Hülkenberg made a mistake, allowing Ricciardo to take advantage and passed him at the turn eleven exit to move into fourth place on lap 53. Massa battled Vettel for sixth driving into the first corner and overtook him at the fourth turn, but Vettel retook the position. Button slowed with a clutch problem and drove into his garage to become the race's final retirement on the 56th lap. With the two Mercedes drivers having repeatedly duelled for position over the closing laps, Rosberg had taken the best from his tyres by the start of the final lap.
Hamilton maintained his advantage over the rest of the lap to win the race. Rosberg finished second, and Pérez narrowly held off a closing Ricciardo over the event's final few laps to clinch third. It was Pérez's first podium since the 2012 Italian Grand Prix and Force India's first since the 2009 Belgian Grand Prix. Hülkenberg finished fifth, ahead of Vettel and Massa in sixth and seventh. Bottas, Alonso and Räikkönen rounded out the top ten points-scoring finishers. Kvyat, Grosjean, Chilton, Maldonado and Kobayashi filled the next five positions, while Bianchi (one lap down) was the last of the classified finishers. There were two lead changes in the race; two drivers reached the front of the field. Hamilton's total of 54 laps led was the most of any competitor. It was Hamilton's second consecutive victory of the season and the 24th of his career, equalling the number of victories by five-time World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio. It's not true that there are no overtakes in the new F1; the Bahrain Grand Prix proved that. If anything, the issue for fans is that many overtakes happened at the expense of the two Ferraris, which have never been so slow on the straights. The audience, both at home and at the racetrack (where there was heavy traffic due to stringent security checks at every car, showing fear of potential attacks), enjoyed many daring maneuvers. There was also a last-minute duel between the two Mercedes, which were like spaceships among humans, crushing any competition. Without team orders in the final laps, they went to war in every possible way. Lewis Hamilton emerged victorious, marking his 24th win, equaling Juan Manuel Fangio, while Nico Rosberg finished second after making nine attempts to overtake the leader. But there was much more to the race, starting with a moment of fear when on lap 40, Esteban Gutierrez's Sauber took flight, somersaulted, and landed upside down. The Mexican driver miraculously walked away unharmed. Pastor Maldonado, who bizarrely blocked the track and caused the incident with his Lotus, was severely penalised by the FIA. The race of others was won by Sergio Perez in the Force India, an unexpected podium for a team that proved to be noble, securing second place in the Constructors' World Championship. The power of the Mercedes engine dominated the finishing order, but Perez managed to outshine his teammate Hulkenberg (who finished fifth), just as Ricciardo (fourth) did with Vettel (sixth); the Red Bull still has the best aerodynamics.
Felipe Massa, in seventh place, lamented the late Safety Car which thwarted his podium hopes. The Ferrari cameo roles ended with Alonso in ninth and Raikkonen in tenth. Like Senna and Prost in the days of the legendary McLaren. This time, Mercedes is legendary, so strong that it's the first team in history to have won everything: the Grand Prix, pole position, and the fastest lap in the race with one of its drivers in the first three races. The two protagonists, old friends, closely bonded off the track, raced fairly, even recklessly, on the track. Hamilton, the race winner, and Rosberg, the second-place finisher, celebrated together. First Hamilton, while still in the car, gave a thumbs-up and later said:
"It was an awesome battle with such a strong and fair opponent".
Afterward, they bumped into each other as a form of a high-five and then embraced. On the podium, Rosberg poured rose water (a local substitute for champagne in the Middle East) over Hamilton to celebrate their exhilarating battle.
"I'm proud to have won this race. It was one of the most exciting of my career".
Hamilton said.
"I had not experienced such a duel on the track since 2007, at Indianapolis, and I'm happy it happened in Bahrain, where I had never won in Formula 1; I had only triumphed there in 2004 in a minor series".
According to Aldo Costa:
"This duel gave many members of the team grey hair".
There were clashes, limit-breaking overtakes, and uncompromising accelerations, all in the name of entertainment, much to the delight of an amazed crowd. Nico Rosberg said:
"I should be disappointed, and I am a bit because I had it all planned - a strategy that would have allowed me to come to the last laps with soft tires and to try to attack Hamilton. I was convinced I could make it, but each time he managed to respond. I should be angry, but after such an entertaining race, one of the most adrenaline-packed of my life, I can't: Hamilton is a great driver, and he deserves this win".
The beautiful thing for fans is that this duel could just be the prologue of the entire season. The Mercedes cars are way ahead, and both drivers want to win the World Championship - a second one for Lewis Hamilton after his 2008 McLaren win and a first one for Nico Rosberg. There's no doubt about the team's behaviour; Niki Lauda, the non-executive chairman, and Toto Wolff, the team principal, are clear:
"We have two intelligent drivers; team orders do not exist with us".
In the meantime, suddenly, a sarcastic comment is heard in the paddock:
"What are two red taxis doing among the Formula 1 cars?"
Sardonic but unfortunately capable of capturing a grim reality. I wonder if President Montezemolo heard this as he visibly left the circuit, ten laps from the end, with a scowl on his face. Even if it didn't reach his ears, he certainly had his share in deeming the Sunday of the Maranello cars a disaster.
"Seeing the Ferrari so slow on the straight pains me greatly. We need to step up our game; this week, we have several things to try here in Bahrain (two days of testing, tomorrow and Wednesday, with Alonso at the wheel, editor's note). I don't like to see our cars in this condition".
The president departs, as he seems to have had enough.
"There's not much to see here. I knew we would struggle on this track, but I expected something more".
The recipe is to work day and night. Fans are asked for patience, and it is asserted that no one in the team expected to beat the two Mercedes, or any other teams with the same engine, but it is acknowledged that a Ferrari in this state is unacceptable. Alonso admits:
"We lacked straight-line speed; everyone was passing us. We lost performance in every area. Drivers and mechanics did their best; my start was perfect, strategy and pit stops were excellent. There was nothing more to be gained; what was missing was the car".
Yet the Spaniard does not want to give up.
"Starting from China, I hope to have at least the speed to compete with our rivals. I'm not talking about the two Mercedes, but in Bahrain, the comparison with others was merciless".
So embarrassing that another comment becomes emblematic, made by Kimi Raikkonen:
"At one point, when Hulkenberg left the pits, I thought I'd been struck by lightning. He pulled alongside me and disappeared over the horizon".
Force India had new tires, but the Finn had changed his tires just two laps earlier. It's about engine and speed, but perhaps aerodynamics is also lacking. Raikkonen tries to evoke a rosier future:
"In China, there are more slow corners compared to here and only one long straight. It should go better".
Alonso reiterates:
"I still believe in the Championship. Montezemolo has assured me of progress, I trust him; of course, we will recover".
In this Formula 1, not in the one that the strange alliance of Montezemolo and Ecclestone desires, critical of the lack of noise from the engines, consumption restrictions, and the complexity of the races. So, the Ferrari president labels the revolution:
"Today's F1 is a mix between an electrician's shop and a power station".
It's something he doesn't like, but it can only be changed in 2015. Because, as emphasised by Jean Todt:
"Because a unanimous decision is required for a mid-season change".
And Mercedes will never give its approval. The President of the Federation insists:
"The problem is not the engines".
As the Germans argue. It's a standoff, and there's nothing left but to resign oneself to it. And hope that the Anglo-German team doesn't send everyone on vacation halfway through the season. Is it simply sportsmanship, or is it already a declaration of surrender? This is the question that haunts Ferrari fans after Fernando Alonso's praise for the dominant team at the beginning of this season:
"Mercedes is fantastic. They are doing a better job than everyone else. Nico and Lewis are driving excellently, without making any mistakes. They are fighting with each other in a clean and flawless manner. At the moment, reaching the level of Mercedes is impossible. However, in 2009, we saw that Brawn GP dominated the first part of the championship and then struggled a bit in the second phase. Everything is in our hands. It's up to us to do better than what we've achieved so far".
No team orders, at least for now; this is the line chosen by Mercedes. Toto Wolff, the team principal of Mercedes, says:
"Hamilton and Rosberg are free to fight until they wreck a car. It's fantastic to see two drivers of that calibre battling correctly, providing a beautiful spectacle and without endangering the other car. Things couldn't be better; it's a showcase for Formula 1 at a time when many people don't speak highly of the World Championship".
The Austrian manager adds, referring to those who, after the first two races of the year, spoke of Formula Boredom:
"They will be free until we start losing parts of the front wing. At that point, we will sit down and discuss. The drivers must understand where the team came from; it's important to avoid damaging our brand. We represent a great brand; we must be aware of what is the right thing to do. So far, they've done it fantastically and spectacularly".
Lost in the desert. The Ferrari that everyone would like to see isn't there; it couldn't be the one seen in Bahrain, slow on the straights, with braking stability issues, poor traction coming out of corners, and unable to keep up with the competition in terms of top speed. Not with the unbeatable Mercedes, but not even with all the other cars with the same engine: Williams, Force India, occasionally McLaren, and even those like Red Bull with Renault engines but greater aerodynamic efficiency. The Ferrari in Bahrain causes pain (Montezemolo) and anger (Domenicali). Furious culprits for an unacceptable situation, they are ready to demand an immediate response without more excuses, allowing the heavy gap with the competitors to be erased as soon as possible, starting with the tests in Bahrain. For now, the defendants in the process are generic; Luca Montezemolo had mentioned technicians in the broadest sense during his departure from the circuit, while Stefano Domenicali spoke of technicians (all of them) and the team.
No one's job is in jeopardy, not James Allison, who arrived from Lotus as the saviour, not Pat Fry, who has been in Ferrari for a while with unimpressive results, not Luca Marmorini, the father of this strange power unit, as reliable as it is underperforming. None of the team's top management is at risk for now, but Domenicali's fury no longer tolerates excuses. Immediate results are sought, improvements that can provide Alonso and Raikkonen (considered blameless) with a competitive Ferrari, and a specific deadline is set for the comeback project: the Austrian Grand Prix on June 22, five races away. From today, it can be said that the spring campaign on the Maranello-Bahrain axis has begun, with the car needing to improve with every metre. Two days of testing with Alonso (fresh race parameters, easy comparisons) and then in China, Barcelona (race and two more training sessions), Monte Carlo, Montreal, and up to Spielberg. Otherwise, we will begin to think about 2015. Work on the engine (utilising power, both electric and thermal, to the maximum), braking, and traction, but also on aerodynamics, somewhat neglected in these early stages of the revolution. Because it is Ferrari itself that points out how Red Bull is better at limiting the damage compared to Ferrari. And Newey's pencil is certainly not unrelated. Mercedes' dominance shows no sign of weakening. On April 8, 2014, during the first day of testing in Bahrain, after the Anglo-German cars had achieved a one-two finish in the Bahrain Grand Prix, Nico Rosberg, the only one to break the 1'36"0 barrier (and 120 laps completed), outpaces everyone, leaving the Force India of Nico Hulkenberg (1'36"064, 68 laps) and the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso (1'36"626, 67 laps) far behind. The fourth fastest time was set by McLaren's Kevin Magnussen, while the Red Bull, driven by Daniel Ricciardo, could only manage the seventh time in 1'38"326. As for Ferrari, in the morning, the team focused on fine-tuning various electronic configurations and some aerodynamic measurements, with runs on the straight at constant speeds. In the afternoon, they worked on short distances, conducting a series of laps to evaluate different setup solutions. It will be Alonso back on the track on Wednesday, April 9, 2014, for Ferrari, on the second and final day of testing. Meanwhile, the F1 community continues to complain about the lack of noise from the new turbo engines. Bernie Ecclestone, the boss of Formula 1, assures them that they are working to find a shared solution. However, Ecclestone himself admits that it is difficult to increase the volume, and the solution is not around the corner.
"It's not up to one person to decide. We have a group that can resolve the situation. If we knew what to do, we would do it. It's elementary".
The buzz produced by the single-seaters is not liked by those in the industry, and it doesn't excite the fans. The Bahrain Grand Prix, held at the Sakhir circuit, seems to have convinced the entire circus, or almost everyone: a change is needed. The positive note is the openness of Mercedes, which wouldn't oppose measures to increase the decibels of the engines. Bernie Ecclestone explains:
"People who could object, saying they're not interested because they already have the best power unit, are the first to say that they will do whatever they can. They are working on it seriously. Be assured, it will be done".
So far, the World Championship has been too quiet due to the dominance of Mercedes, which has won the first three races on the calendar and seems destined to dominate the season following a regulatory revolution. The German team has no reason to change the regulatory framework at this time. However, even the championship leaders cannot ignore the mood of the fans. Toto Wolff, the team principal of Mercedes, asks:
"It's evident that the noise is different. But does that mean it's better or worse? Everyone has a different opinion, and we have to listen to all the opinions. We will see what we can do, explore all the possibilities. If there is a sensible and feasible solution without revolutionising the rules, then we need to thoroughly examine it. We've consulted with engineers, and they say they need to analyse the situation. It's not a simple or straightforward issue because the aim of the adopted technology is to use exhaust gases to power the engine and the turbo. We are more efficient because we don't waste energy from the exhausts".
After the cries of pain from President Montezemolo, technical hell will break loose in Maranello, and the long-awaited changes for the upcoming Chinese Grand Prix will be pushed to the limit with round-the-clock shifts. On the other hand, it was known that the Ferraris would perform poorly in Bahrain, not only because the track does not suit this car, but also because the same car that was used at the beginning of the season, without any modifications, was in the hands of Alonso and Raikkonen, as there was no time to send new parts. Now things will change because in China, which is in fifteen days, the Maranello factory must update the car as desired. Will they make it? It's a mystery. Fans are holding their breath, and those who put everything on the Alonso-Raikkonen dream team at the beginning of the season have had to reconsider. The point is, is it possible to recover the technical gap with that rocket called Mercedes? The Ferrari won't commit to that, but Renault will. Remi Taffin, Director of Trackside Operations for Renault Sport F1, says:
"We still have a significant gap to the fastest cars, but we can compete with them at times. We're chasing them, and even if we still have some way to go, we're not too far behind. This gives us extra motivation for the coming days, starting with the official tests this week. We have an extensive testing program with all four of our teams".
When it comes to Renault, the issue becomes heavy because, of course, we're talking about Red Bull (as well as Toro Rosso, Lotus, and Caterham).
"Except for a few issues, which tend to become rarer, we had a satisfying weekend in terms of reliability. This allowed us to focus much more on performance gains. We are continuously improving as problems decrease. We will undoubtedly still be a bit behind in China due to the long straight on the circuit, a characteristic similar to the Sakhir track. However, the improvements we've tested this week will allow Renault-powered cars to fight at the forefront during the upcoming races".
That front line that today only those who don't have a Mercedes can dream of.