30 March 2014 www.bahrainthismonth.com happeningsthismonth We got to see the new cars, but only from a distance, as security was extremely tight while teams developed the new designs and technologies on their 2014 cars under a heavy veil of secrecy. We also got to experience the sound of the new turbocharged 1.6-litre V6 engines that all the teams will be using this year, instead of the mighty 2.4-litre V8s of previous years, thanks to new FIA regulations. And we can tell you — it’s different! Some argue for the better, some argue for the worse, but what is definitely true is that, while they are still as loud as ever, the pitch of the engine note is much lower, making it much easier on the ears than the high-pitched scream of before. Is it still as soul stirring and awe inspiring? That is up to you to decide. One thing we can definitely glean from the lap times being posted on the leaderboards during the testing is that this season is going to be a very different season to those of the last few years. Early indications are that the unbreakable dominance of the Red Bull cars doesn’t seem to be quite so unbreakable now. Red Bull, along with the other Renault-powered teams of Caterham, Torro Rosso and Lotus, has struggled with their new engines, with reliability issues and poor pace. They still have some time to try to overcome these issues, but it’s not a great start for these teams. On the other hand, a surprising set of results was posted by the Force India team, with new Force India driver Nico Hulkenberg topping the time sheets on the first day of testing. McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari all seemed to be running well with their new engines, too. A landmark event As for the Bahrain GP itself, 2014 marks a decade since Bahrain first hosted the Formula One World Championship, and they’ve pulled out all the stops to make sure that it’s a memorable one. Aside from the stunning line-up of entertainment which you can read about on the following page, for the first time in the Bahrain F1 GP’s history, the event will be a night race, becoming only the second in the series after Singapore. The race is scheduled for a 6pm start, and this is also the start time for the qualifying sessions of the night before. There are a number of advantages to having a night race — aside from the added atmosphere it creates, there’s also the added bonus of cooler temperatures in the balmy Bahraini April evenings. And record crowds are expected too, due to the fact that the race’s start time is outside office hours, meaning more people will able to attend on the Sunday. All indications point to the 2014 Bahrain F1 GP being the most memorable in the race’s history, so make sure you don’t miss out! And only three-day ticket holders will be allowed into the post-race concerts, which you REALLY don’t want to miss. Get your tickets now! E Call 17 450-000 or visit www.bahraingp.com. TONY SIDGWICK As Bahrain concluded the official FIA winter test sessions in February, we enjoyed a taste of what’s to come in April! Ten Years of Exhilirat10n! BAHRAIN INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT When? April 4-6 | Event? Bahrain Grand Prix | Venue? Bahrain International Circuit
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