Bahrain Grand Prix - Free Practice One

3rd & 7 37yd

@ttttt: All mediums, we won't see soft tyre runs until FP2 later this afternoon when the qualifying simulations occur in the cooler temperatures.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:11:52 PM
Meaning Bottas could have made it much better.

by Andreas 4/17/2015 12:11:55 PM
@Andreas: I'm not sure yet whether his lock-up was on the lap which put him first or the lap after that. I think it was the latter as he lost a fair chunk of time.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:12:17 PM
What F1 needs is budget caps and no technical rules. This way we may see again some cool designs like the 6wheel f1. Can keep dreaming one it...

by ZAC 4/17/2015 12:12:28 PM
I read yesterday that 180 cities have requested a formula e-race. Close racing and affordable

by stekay 4/17/2015 12:12:30 PM
Ericsson moves into 15t5.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:12:42 PM
Hulkenberg the latest man to run deep into Turn 10. That one always catches me out on the F1 games, so you know it must be difficult.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:13:08 PM
@ mfbull No - cost is a huge problem in F1! I agree that rules need to be opened up but that needs to go hand in hand with a redistribution of F1's revenues to ensure smaller teams have the resources to innovate, without it, factory backed teams will dominate. Even the example with Brawn is a case in point: the Double-diffuser was developed when the team was still Honda (i.e. factory backed)

by Oliver 4/17/2015 12:13:27 PM
@ mfbull ... but yes, WEC certainly gets a lot of things right with it's lack of rules!

by Oliver 4/17/2015 12:14:00 PM
Don't expect and stellar jumps up the order before end of session. Our tyres have 15 laps on them where others will be running fresh sets.

by Mercedes-AMG F1 via twitter 4/17/2015 12:14:28 PM
More trackside action shots of @WillStevens_ & @robertomerhi from the #FP1 session. http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CCyvr7wUUAE78n2.jpg

by Manor Racing via twitter 4/17/2015 12:14:53 PM
Hulkenberg being told he needs to push the yellow button before Turn 10, which likely transfers the brake bias to the rear of the car. But he complains the front is lost before the corner anyway.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:15:45 PM
Rosberg runs across the sand at Turn 11.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:15:51 PM
Vettel is back out on track.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:15:57 PM
Vettel is running quite slowly out there - remember he complained about a loss of power earlier in the session. "Slow down, Sebastian, slow down, problem is still there," Ferrari tells him. But Ferrari tells him to stay out so it can check the data.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:16:54 PM
He did suddenly pick his pace up in the latter part of that lap so maybe Ferrari sorted the issue in the moments after that message, which is usually broadcast on a delay.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:17:20 PM
In the last race it looked like Kimi wanted to beat Vettle before he could deal with Mercedes boys, I suspect he's capable of doing it, isn't he?

by Andreas 4/17/2015 12:17:29 PM
@Andreas: Raikkonen's problem hasn't been Sunday, it's been Saturday. If he gets a clean qualifying and gets ahead of Vettel you'd expect him to at least be good for a podium.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:17:53 PM
Time is ticking for #FP1. But me & @alo_oficial are cool, calm and collected geezers.

by Geoff PU14 via twitter 4/17/2015 12:18:16 PM
I love Geoff.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:18:22 PM
CLOSE UP: The @WilliamsRacing steering wheel of current pace setter @ValtteriBottas #FP1 #BahrainGP http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CCyw53_UIAEM2I9.jpg

by Formula 1 via twitter 4/17/2015 12:18:58 PM
Raikkonen has joined Vettel out on track.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:19:22 PM
What is wrong with MERC.... No improvmemt

by cyrus619 4/17/2015 12:19:26 PM
@cyrus619: It seems Merc is focused more on its longer runs than setting headline times.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:19:36 PM
Verstappen the latest to run wide at Turn 11 after suffering a bit of understeer.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:19:56 PM
SPEED TRAP (75 MINS): Those Mercedes engines are still troubling the speed gun the most... #FP1 #BahrainGP http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CCyxMtCUUAA0fPF.jpg

by Formula 1 via twitter 4/17/2015 12:20:37 PM
Kimi has had a fair bit of bad luck on Sundays too

by john 4/17/2015 12:20:53 PM
Meanwhile out on track, a green first sector for @LewisHamilton then he heads for the box. Practice stop and switch off. Session done.

by Mercedes-AMG F1 via twitter 4/17/2015 12:21:08 PM
Looks like Hamilton's programme has finished ten minutes before the end of the session.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:21:22 PM
Raikkonen currently three tenths up on his current flying lap.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:21:34 PM
MERC know what they are doing...leave them alone!

by BE 4/17/2015 12:21:46 PM
Bottas is called into the pits for a front wing change, which means Williams are doing some aerodynamic work in this session.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:22:21 PM
Vettel goes P1 with a 1:38.029...

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:22:27 PM
...but Raikkonen jumps ahead of him immediately by two tenths.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:22:43 PM
@Nate: Since th race will be held in cooler temeratures since it is held at night, will this be an advantage for Merc?

by Lawrence Ellul 4/17/2015 12:22:47 PM
@LawrenceEllul: Absolutely. If this was held at the traditional time it would be another big opportunity for Ferrari.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:23:01 PM
Just seen the speed traps - so, Alonso's time was set without a top speed advantage? Good news for the McLaren aero package...

by Oliver 4/17/2015 12:23:26 PM
@Oliver: Absolutely.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:23:31 PM
So we're in the unusual position of having two cars back in the box and jobs starting with 9 mins to go. ROS P15 23 laps, HAM P16 22 laps.

by Mercedes-AMG F1 via twitter 4/17/2015 12:23:51 PM
Mercedes seemingly happy to do its own thang.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:23:59 PM
Did Peter Pomdrou join Mclaren??

by rockedin123 4/17/2015 12:25:03 PM
@rockedin123: He did.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:25:07 PM
I have insight into the Ferrari cooling upgrade. It's brilliant!

by stekay 4/17/2015 12:25:16 PM
@stekay: Indeed, it's one of the big strengths of the SF15-T.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:25:24 PM
Speaking of Aero packages, the next race - Spain - is where teams usually bring the first significant aero upgrades. Do you have any news/insight into who may be bringing what, or how much?

by Oliver 4/17/2015 12:25:29 PM
@Oliver: No specifics, but you're right, that's where the teams target a huge upgrade package. Even more pertinent with a two-day test to come right after the grand prix. You'll see lots of new parts up and down the grid that weekend.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:26:00 PM
on the kimi staying at Ferrari topic, I personally think that if he was to leave there would still be room for him at a top team.

by Manny 4/17/2015 12:26:07 PM
Merc can be unpredictable sometimes. I guess they can release the boys for one or two laps.

by Andreas 4/17/2015 12:26:42 PM
We're into the final three minutes now.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:27:35 PM
Nate, ERIC P17...no pie for you!

by BE 4/17/2015 12:28:05 PM
Lots of green flow-viz on the side of Hulkenberg's car. Either that or the Hulk is getting mad again.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:28:32 PM
GRIP! Searching for the grip, where are you?!

by Geoff PU14 via twitter 4/17/2015 12:29:11 PM
You wouldn't like him when he's angry.

by mfbull 4/17/2015 12:29:15 PM
I don't feel too good. All I wanted to do is eat up some track :(

by Eric PU22 via twitter 4/17/2015 12:29:37 PM
Didn't feel right leaving Eric out of the Twitter convo here.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:29:47 PM
Twenty seconds left in the session and cars are filtering back into the pit lane.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:30:01 PM
Mercedes clearly not chasing lap times but Ferraris look strong in Bahrain FP1. Alonso not quick, but having to work hard in twitchy McHonda

by steveslaterF1 via twitter 4/17/2015 12:30:28 PM
And that's the chequered flag. Raikkonen leads a Ferrari one-two but we didn't see anything really representative from Mercedes today. The world champions seemed perfectly happy to call it a day early after completing its run plan early.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:31:03 PM
As always, thanks for joining me for this session. We'll be back in two hours to do it all again in FP2, when we'll see the qualifying simulations ahead of the all-important shoot-out in qualifying.

by Nate Saunders 4/17/2015 12:32:41 PM

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