The long wait is over, it is five months since the end of the 2016 season but this weekend the opening round of the 2017 FIA F2 Championship gets underway at the Sakhir International Circuit in Bahrain.
These five months have not been idle for Racing Engineering as there have been two three-day test sessions for the team and their drivers, Louis Delétraz and Gustav Malja. These tests have been especially important as both men are new to Racing Engineering and for Louis this will be his first season in F2 so these days have given the drivers a chance to get familiar with the team and to set up their cars to their liking.
The Sakhir circuit has been a competitive venue in the past for Racing Engineering with a win, a third and two fourth place finishes between 2013 and 2015, the last time the cars raced here, and Louis and Gustav will be looking to get the 2017 season off to a positive start. The last two years have been particularly successful for the Spanish team as the have finished as runner-up in the Team Championship in both years and this year they will be looking to go one step further and win the title as well as having Louis and Gustav in the battle for the Drivers’ Championship.
Timetable:
Practice: Fri 14 Apr 2017, 11:30 (GMT+3)
Qualifying Session: Fri 14 Apr 2017, 20:00 (GMT+3)
Race 1: Sat 15 Apr 2017, 13:10 (GMT+3)
Race 2: Sun 16 Apr 2017, 14:15 (GMT+3)
FIA Formula 2 Championship
1. Bahrain has been the Championship season opener on three occasions.
2. After three days of testing at the Bahrain International Circuit in March, all drivers should be familiar with the track hosting the first race of the 2017 FIA Formula 2 Championship.
3. Qualifying takes place at night, but both races will be held during the day, which means tyre degradation will be a key factor.
4. The last time the Championship visited Bahrain was in 2015. Two race events were held in Bahrain that year.
5. Races in Bahrain are usually entertaining due to the long straights, hard braking and the variation of corners available.
6. In 2013, Racing Engineering’s Fabio Leimer won the feature race.
7. The asphalt surface, made up of some 60,000 tonnes of imported granite from England. It offers good grip when clean and is classified as medium to high in terms of abrasion.
8. The Bahrain International Circuit held its first night race in 2014, becoming only the third circuit in the world - after Singapore's Marina Bay and Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina - to host a floodlit Grand Prix.
9. Aerodynamics is an important factor in Bahrain. With four 300 km/h straights, teams use medium downforce, but this can compromise corner entry and braking stability, causing lock-ups that damage the tyres.
10. Bahrain International circuit is known for its safety record and versatility - it can be converted into a drag racing track or testing oval easily.
