Bahrain Grand Prix
2019 Formula 1 season, Round 2
Bahrain International Circuit
31 March 2019
Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari will return to a happy hunting ground when the 2019 Formula 1 season has its second race, the Bahrain Grand Prix, on Sunday 31 March.
Vettel and the Scuderia have been the most successful driver and team at the Bahrain International Circuit down the years, claiming four and six victories respectively. In fact the Vettel-Ferrari combination is chasing a hat-trick of wins in the Middle East after triumphing at the race in 2017 and 2018.
However, the famous red cars will have to make a massive stride forward in performance if they are to challenge for honours this coming weekend. Ferrari went into the season-opener widely regarded as the team with the best pace early in the campaign, but they were crushed by both the Mercedes and Max Verstappen’s Red Bull in Melbourne.
Vettel and Ferrari debutant Charles Leclerc came home in fourth and fifth respectively, putting immediate pressure on new Team Principal Mattia Binotto.
While Leclerc’s solid if unspectacular showing is understandable, more is expected of four-time world champion Vettel, with many now believing that Verstappen is a more realistic hope to end the dominance of Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton.
Ferrari and Verstappen will hope that Bahrain signals a return to pace and form, reigniting their hope of a return to championship glory.
2019 Formula 1 – Drivers’ Championship standings
1 – Valtteri Bottas – 26 points
2 – Lewis Hamilton – 18
3 – Max Verstappen – 15
2019 Formula 1 – Constructors’ Championship standings
1 – Mercedes – 44 points
2 – Ferrari – 22
3 – Red Bull Racing-Honda – 15
Bahrain GP stats
Number of previous races: 14 – first in 2004
Most wins, driver: Sebastian Vettel – 4
Most wins, constructor: Ferrari – 6
2018 result: 1 – Vettel, Ferrari; 2 – Bottas, Mercedes; 3 – Hamilton, Mercedes
Circuit length: 5.412km
Race length: 308.405km
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