2012 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix

[E90SLAM]

Another Back to back race weekends!!!
Personally its still morally wrong to go to Bahrain at this moment. Apparently the FIA and their experts determined that its safe to go despite worries from teams and guests.

Anyhow, the politics aside, unlike the 2010 season where we kicked off with a snooze-fest season opening. The mickey-mouse section was gone and back to 2009 and before configuration. Hopefully this will help to excite the race.

Note: NO BBC live coverage this weekend.

Race Date: 22 Apr 2012
Circuit Name: Bahrain International Circuit
Number of Laps: 57
Circuit Length: 5.412 km
Race Distance: 308.238 km
Lap Record: 1:30.252 - M Schumacher (2004)

Tire Compounds Provided:
Prime: Medium (White)
Option: Soft (Yellow)
Rain: Cinturato Intermediate (Green) / Cinturato Wet (Blue)

F1 TIMETABLE (Bahrain Local Time)
Fri 20 April 2012
Practice 1 10:00 - 11:30
Practice 2 14:00 - 15:30
Sat 21 April 2012
Practice 3 11:00 - 12:00
Qualifying 14:00
Sun 22 April 2012
Race 15:00

F1 TIMETABLE (Pacific Time)
Fri 20 April 2012
Practice 1 00:00 - 01:30
Practice 2 04:00 - 05:30
Sat 21 April 2012
Practice 3 01:00 - 02:00
Qualifying 04:00
Sun 22 April 2012
Race 05:00

F1 TIMETABLE (Eastern Time)
Fri 20 April 2012
Practice 1 03:00 - 04:30
Practice 2 07:00 - 08:30
Sat 21 April 2012
Practice 3 04:00 - 05:00
Qualifying 07:00
Sun 22 April 2012
Race 08:00

[gary88]

Here's to hoping for a good weekend.

Track temps should be very interesting.

[UltimateBMW]

I'll be out of town until next Sunday, so I won't be able to see the race until a while after. I hope that everything goes without a hitch though! Hope they all keep safe.

[Echo M3]

This is usually a pretty dull race. Hopefully DRS will come to the rescue? At least overtaking is possible, unlike the other snore-fests (Barcelona, Valencia, etc.)

[E90SLAM]

I don't think the locals are welcoming the race and teams.
Just hope no drama except the race...

Burning posters, Hamilton haters???

[ptack]

[quote=E90SLAM;11761680]Another Back to back race weekends!!!
Personally its still morally wrong to go to Bahrain at this moment. Apparently the FIA and their experts determined that its safe to go despite worries from teams and guests.

I'm sure Bernie worried about the humanitarian aspects of returning to Bahrain for a good 2 or 3 milliseconds.

[E90SLAM]

Originally Posted by ptack

I'm sure Bernie worried about the humanitarian aspects of returning to Bahrain for a good 2 or 3 milliseconds.

I'm surprised he's actually worried at all.
I believe he's more worried about the transaction to his bank account.

[VIPLINE]

Gotta wake up early to catch the race......sigh.

[E90SLAM]

Originally Posted by VIPLINE

Gotta wake up early to catch the race......sigh.

gotta get use to the european time now...

[xbook]

Hmm, still undecided if I can watch this race or not. After seeing the graffiti earlier in the thread, I am leaning toward not supporting this race. This might very well be the 1st F1 race I will miss since about 1997.

[gary88]

Interesting keeping up on twitter with one of the journalists on the ground there right now.

https://twitter.com/#!/ianparkesf1

[justinnum1]

back to back!!!!!

Lets go lewis! If i was maclaren i would pay for a team of comandos to secure the team

[johanness]

Originally Posted by justinnum1

back to back!!!!!

Lets go lewis! If i was maclaren i would pay for a team of comandos to secure the team

I'm sure you'd be Hamilton's personal body guard, chef, masseuse, and chin-strip trimmer.

[Impervious]

Originally Posted by johanness

I'm sure you'd be Hamilton's personal body guard, chef, masseuse, and chin-strip trimmer.

So many Hamilton fan boys here.

[jonasaurus]

Hoping Webber can pull out a good result, fingers crossed!

[justinnum1]

Originally Posted by johanness

I'm sure you'd be Hamilton's personal body guard, chef, masseuse, and chin-strip trimmer.

Yea and when he's sleeping, i'll bang nicole

[Zoli007]

Im curious if anything crazy will happen. Hopefully not.

If I was a journalist, I would try and find the protest leaders and run a story on them. Let them have their opinions and voices heard globally.

[Nedim]

I'm so excited about this race. What a great season so far. I have a feeling MSC will be on the podium this weekend!

[E90SLAM]

.

[E90SLAM]

Tension mounts as Formula One heads to Bahrain

The Formula One circus has started to arrive in Bahrain for this weekend's controversial grand prix amid heightened security and against the backdrop of continuing rioting a few miles outside the kingdom's capital, Manama.

Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa was at the Bahrain International Circuit, his own creation, to inspect preparations, and the importance of the race to his kingdom's international prestige was underlined when he spoke of its "paramount economic, investment and cultural importance". Claims the race is not political were further underlined by the massive advertising internal campaign - "UniF1ed. One nation in celebration".

Teams have been given added protection as well as a list of no-go areas which Times journalist Kevin Eason said "appears to be much of the island, apart from Manama and the circuit".

"There is obviously a lot of security around the circuit and you can see the big hotels where the VIP guests will be staying have stepped up their efforts," Red Bull's John Ayers, who arrived in Bahrain last week, told Eason. "They are really on their guard. Apart from that, it is all quiet. We have not seen or heard any disturbances, although we know things go on in the villages at night."

Attempts to present a picture of tranquillity will be tested today as demonstrators continue their attempts to use the race to publicise their cause. A rally is planned for a village near the international airport as the Formula One roadshow arrives in force. On Wednesday, when the bulk of teams and media are due to land, there are plans to hold blockades on the main road from the airport.

Perhaps the biggest test will come on Thursday when for the first time this year protesters say they will hold a rally in the capital. A splinter group has called for "three days of rage" starting on Friday and aimed directly at the grand prix.

There was a further blow to claims Bahrain was returning to normal with a statement on Monday by Amnesty's Middle East and North Africa deputy director, Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui. "No one should be under any illusions that the country's human rights crisis is over," he said. "The authorities are trying to portray the country as being on the road to reform, but we continue to receive reports of torture and use of unnecessary and excessive force against protests."

http://en.espnf1.com/bahrain/motorsp...ory/76063.html

[BrokenVert]

Is this still actually happening?

[E90SLAM]

Originally Posted by BrokenVert

Is this still actually happening?

Yes...

even Sutil (or lookalike) got flamed too...