The Bahrain Grand Prix is an event
which has courted a lot of controversy over the past few years. The
running of the event was canceled altogether in 2011 amid protests in
the Kingdom. There was a touted rescheduling, but it didn’t come
into fruition amid all the unrest. Then in 2012, the race was back on
the calendar, and Human Rights Activists wanted the race canceled
again, due to concerns over the treatment of prisoners in captivity
in the country. There were also major safety concerns for the drivers
and members of the teams in Bahrain as well, but amid more turmoil
the race did go ahead and it was won by Germany’s Sebastian Vettel
in his Red Bull. That was a win which would help Vettel to eventually
power on to take this third F1 World Championship title in a row.
The build up for the 2013 Bahrain Grand
Prix has not been all plain sailing either, with MP’s in Britain
calling for the race to be canceled again. But the race is going
ahead once more as drivers head to the Sakhir Grand Prix Circuit,
where all but one of the Bahrain Grands Prix have been held. There
are some great straight sections at the track, combined with a really
tricky section of left and right hand cornering. The race is one of
the most difficult in the season for the teams because of the high
temperatures in the desert which has a big influence on tyre wear and
driver fatigue. It is probably a race which is going to rely heavily
on pit stop strategy, with an expected three per driver during the
race.
2013 will be only the ninth edition of
the Bahrain Grand Prix, and Spain’s Fernando Alonso has taken the
win in four of those races. He secured back to back wins in the 2005
and 2006 while he was driving for Renault, and then took a win at the
Sakhir Endurance Circuit where the race was hosted in 2010. Combined
with some good early form in which he took a win, and a dominant one
at that in Shanghai for the 2013 China Grand Prix, he will be
favourite at Bahrain. That is form and track record on the side of
the Spaniard as he looks to keep himself fully in the 2013 F1 Drivers
Championship race.
But Alonso should be sitting around the
mark of joint favourite Sebastian Vettel, who is not only the
reigning champion, but he also won the Malaysian Grand Prix earlier
in the season. With the conditions and style of the Malaysian Grand
Prix being fairly close to that of the Bahrain Grand Prix, the power
of Vettel should be making a strong challenge for back to back titles
at the event He took a comfortable win at the 2012 edition ahead of
Kimi Raikkonen in the Lotus and while he was defended off by Lewis
Hamilton at the Chinese Grand Prix, keeping Vettel just off the
podium for the first time this season, the threat that the German Red
Bull driver poses in qualification alone should put him inside the
top three.
Lewis Hamilton has been producing some
very solid stuff in his Mercedes this season, even taking a surprise
pole position at the China Grand Prix. He also fired in a good
qualifying time last year in his McLaren, taking second on the grid.
Given that he has got more out of the car than was ever expected at
this stage, he looks a good prospect for a top three finish. He could
also produce good value in Pole Position betting too. Back in the
outright race winner market for the 2013 Bahrain Grand Prix, Kimi
Raikkonen in his steady Lotus is worth a look. The Finnish driver
took second place in China and add to his win in Australia has
produced well. He finished second behind Vettel in last season's
Bahrain Grand Prix, yet to win the title there in his career.
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