2006 Bahrain GP

[johnnyperl]

The teams don't seem to be so concerned with secrecy this year:
LINK

[matek]

Theres no hidden elecronics this year

Hopefully it'll be more intense with shueeeeee rivaling alonso, and i'd love to see fisicella do well.

In the metro today they had a massive two page spread showing all the new cars pretty impressive.

[Jack_Bauer]

As expected, the first practice session of the 2006 Grand Prix season was a quiet one. With the tight constraints on engine life and reliability it is to be expected that the opening sessions of every GP will be pretty low key affairs, with few of the actual race drivers doing any significant mileage. This was most certainly the case in this first session, with no drivers from either Renault or Honda (the two most fancied teams this weekend) taking to the track.

I guarantee that if there had been bets taken on who would finish top of the timesheets after the first session of 2006, VERY few people would have put money on BMW-Sauber's Robert Kubica. An impressive performance from the youngster no doubt, one that may turn a few heads in the paddock, which is the best that young Friday drivers like Kubica can hope for really.

1 38 Robert Kubica Sauber-BMW 1:32.170
2 35 Alexander Wurz Williams-Cosworth 1:32.184
3 3 Kimi Räikkönen McLaren-Mercedes 1:33.388
4 5 Michael Schumacher Ferrari 1:33.469
5 15 Christian Klien RBR-Ferrari 1:34.800
6 40 Neel Jani STR-Cosworth 1:34.831
7 4 Juan Pablo Montoya McLaren-Mercedes 1:34.887
8 6 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:34.925
9 14 David Coulthard RBR-Ferrari 1:35.017
10 20 Vitantonio Liuzzi STR-Cosworth 1:35.083
11 37 Robert Doornbos RBR-Ferrari 1:35.203
12 21 Scott Speed STR-Cosworth 1:35.371
13 18 Tiago Monteiro MF1-Toyota 1:36.542
14 19 Christijan Albers MF1-Toyota 1:36.930
15 39 Markus Winkelhock MF1-Toyota 1:37.918
16 22 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda 1:38.190
17 23 Yuji Ide Super Aguri-Honda 1:40.782
18 36 Anthony Davidson Honda no time
19 1 Fernando Alonso Renault
20 2 Giancarlo Fisichella Renault
21 8 Jarno Trulli Toyota
22 7 Ralf Schumacher Toyota
23 16 Nick Heidfeld Sauber-BMW
24 17 Jacques Villeneuve Sauber-BMW
25 9 Mark Webber Williams-Cosworth
26 10 Nico Rosberg Williams-Cosworth
27 11 Rubens Barrichello Honda
28 12 Jenson Button Honda

[Wouter Melissen]

In Friday's second practice more drivers went out with the Ferraris putting in impressive times:

1 36 Anthony Davidson Honda 1:31.353
2 5 Michael Schumacher Ferrari 1:31.751
3 35 Alexander Wurz Williams-Cosworth 1:31.764
4 6 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:32.175
5 1 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:32.538
6 20 Vitantonio Liuzzi STR-Cosworth 1:32.703
7 37 Robert Doornbos RBR-Ferrari 1:32.926
8 2 Giancarlo Fisichella Renault 1:33.215
9 12 Jenson Button Honda 1:33.226
10 38 Robert Kubica Sauber-BMW 1:33.244
11 15 Christian Klien RBR-Ferrari 1:33.557
12 3 Kimi Räikkönen McLaren-Mercedes 1:33.577
13 4 Juan Pablo Montoya McLaren-Mercedes 1:33.726
14 16 Nick Heidfeld Sauber-BMW 1:33.848
15 40 Neel Jani STR-Cosworth 1:33.900
16 21 Scott Speed STR-Cosworth 1:34.284
17 9 Mark Webber Williams-Cosworth 1:34.333
18 11 Rubens Barrichello Honda 1:34.384
19 14 David Coulthard RBR-Ferrari 1:34.432
20 18 Tiago Monteiro MF1-Toyota 1:34.459
21 10 Nico Rosberg Williams-Cosworth 1:34.953
22 7 Ralf Schumacher Toyota 1:35.170
23 39 Markus Winkelhock MF1-Toyota 1:35.686
24 8 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:35.898
25 17 Jacques Villeneuve Sauber-BMW 1:36.264
26 19 Christijan Albers MF1-Toyota 1:36.314
27 22 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda 1:37.588
28 23 Yuji Ide Super Aguri-Honda 1:39.021

[Jack_Bauer]

The big stories of the second session were the impressive pace of Ferrari, and the woes of last season seemingly carrying forward into 2006 for McLaren. After just twelve laps Kimi Raikkonen's car ground to a halt on the track and had to be towed back to the garage. It's unclear yet whether the fault was an engine failure or something else, but the lack of smoke would suggest something like electrical or hydraulic failure rather than a costly engine failure. It's not a great time to be a McLaren fan at the mo, things seem eerily reminiscent of the start of the disastrous 2004 season.

[RacingManiac]

a lot of interesting things in those pics.....single shear upper a-arm mounting on 2 cars, and Toyota's lower a-arm seems to be mounted on a pivot....


Ferrari's pace is indeed impressive as they are not a "Friday runner" team...

[Zytek_Fan]

Go McLaren-Mercedes and BMW Sauber!

[jorismo]

I saw some of the free practice yesterday evening late. That Ide was driving at a straight when all of a sudden his bargebord flies away for no reason what so ever ... Also Kimi had engine trouble and I was glad to see Robert Doornbos do so well

[jorismo]

I just found this pic... Could perhaps anyone tell me what the carbon ring is for?

[Jack_Bauer]

Oh deary, deary me. McLaren are in an absolute mess!!!

Ten minutes into the first session of 2006 and Kimi Raikkonen's rear suspension falls to pieces! This is a very early test for the merits of the new qualifying system because this red flag really throws a cat amongst the pigeons. It's gonna be a hectic last couple of minutes!

[Jack_Bauer]

I just found this pic... Could perhaps anyone tell me what the carbon ring is for?

I'm guessing the carbon ring is for aerodynamic purposes, with the aim of reducing drag. That's just a guess though.

[adamfraser]

Crazy last stint there, seeing 12 orso drivers just waiting! Pretty good, shame about Raikonnen though

[Jack_Bauer]

Crazy last stint there, seeing 12 orso drivers just waiting! Pretty good, shame about Raikonnen though

Yup, bit of a suprise about Ralf Schumacher going out in the first round of knockouts too. No suprises about the two Super Aguri and Midland drivers going out though.

[Vaigra]

Alonso's been on top in the first two sessions...most probably end up on pole if nothing goes wrong.
Rosberg seems to be doing OK.
Now they have to fuel up for the race tomorrow so that should play with the times a bit.

[Vaigra]

This fuel credit system is strange. Hadn't heard of it before now...Should be interesting.