Just days after Romain Grosjean’s fireball crash and miraculous escape at the Bahrain Grand Prix, the Formula One circus returns to the same venue besieged by breaking news, but set to deliver the fastest laps of the year.
This weekend’s Sakhir Grand Prix may be raced at the same Bahrain International Circuit, but it will run on a different track — the high-speed outer loop — on which lap times are forecast to be around 55 seconds in qualifying and below 60 in the race.
After a few fast-moving days that have seen Grosjean understandably ruled out of action by Haas as he heals and rests, following his crash, and newly-crowned seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton placed in isolation after testing positive for COVID, F1 offers an intriguing and unpredictable spectacle.
All eyes on Fittipaldi
There will be much interest in how Haas reserve Pietro Fittipaldi fares on his debut in the Frenchman's place and perhaps more in studying George Russell's progress in Hamilton's Mercedes after stepping up from stragglers Williams.
It is the first time Hamilton has missed a race since his debut at Melbourne in 2007.
Russell has two seasons’ experience, but has yet to score a point and his opportunity to run alongside Valtteri Bottas in the 'black arrows' is expected to end that sequence.
Only one driver, Niki Lauda at the 1974 French Grand Prix, has previously recorded a sub-60 seconds pole position lap, clocking 58.79 seconds.
Bottas, resisting Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s challenge for runners-up place behind Hamilton, will hope to emulate that feat on a circuit dubbed “an almost oval track” by F1's motorsports chief Ross Brawn.
To add drama, both qualifying and the 87-lap race will take place at night under lights.
Additional intrigue will be added by seeing Mick Schumacher, who was confirmed on Wednesday as joining Haas next season alongside Nikita Mazepin, bidding to seal the Formula Two title.
He is poised to make an early F1 appearance at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a week later, in Friday practice — and, if Grosjean fails in his bid to recover for a personal F1 finale at the Yas Marina circuit, in the final race of the season.
