Time for the talking to stop: Sakhir what to watch for

28 February 2024

After months of preparation over the winter, it’s almost time to see who has the pace as FIA Formula 2 gets back on track for the 2024 season.

Pre-season testing is now a distant memory for most and the focus is now on performing when the pressure is on.

The first and second race weekends of the year will run from Thursday to Saturday before reverting back to the usual days from Melbourne onwards.

Who will be the first race winners in 2024 in Sakhir? Here’s what to watch out for this weekend.

Tyres, tyres and more tyres

The abrasiveness of the Bahrain International Circuit and the heat of the desert makes Round 1 of 2024 one of the toughest in terms of tyre wear. Getting on top of car setup early and nailing down a strong baseline to build from will be hugely advantageous in this regard, with practice time so limited ahead of Qualifying.

Degradation during both races is a problem to overcome and can dictate who has a strong weekend and who will be hoping for better in Jeddah.

With Pirelli bringing the hard and soft compound tyres, the pronounced step in terms of performance and longevity will require a fine balancing act from teams and drivers up and down the pitlane.

Eking out the desired stint length can make or break a Feature Race however there is plenty of scope to play the risky game and gamble on an alternative strategy.

Starting on the harder compound tyre will give away laptime to those on the softs, but Pirelli expect the red-walled tyre to be the compound of choice come race day, with the conventional thinking being a start on the hards before switching to softs.

2023 race winner Théo Pourchaire was victorious using this strategy and made his mandatory stop on Lap 13 of 32.

Charles Leclerc however pulled off one of the iconic F2 victories in Championship history back in 2017, opting to pit during the Sprint Race from the lead before storming back through from P14 to win the race in the final laps.

Qualifying conundrum

With tyre wear being a particular focus in Bahrain, nailing the right strategy is more important than ever

Another curveball in the equation is the session timings, with Free Practice taking place under the midday sun when temperatures are near their highest of the day, while qualifying will take place in the evening with temperatures much cooler than when teams first saw the track.

Firing up the tyres for a Qualifying lap is crucial and can make all the difference. Pourchaire and ART Grand Prix proved that last season, with the 2023 Champion storming to pole by 0.751s while teammate Victor Martins lined up alongside him for a front-row lockout.

Hit the tyres too hard too early and by sector three, you’ll be giving away time hand over fist. Go too easy on them and you’ll have a tough time recovering the weekend from a disadvantaged grid position further down the order.

Running in the gap can net you a clear track but it doesn’t always pan out as hoped. Last season, Invicta Racing went out for their final efforts while the track was at its quietest, but in the end, Jack Doohan dropped from P4 on the provisional grid to 17th in the end after catching traffic on a last-gasp run.

Does testing form hold true?

Qualifying in Sakhir under the floodlights can make all the difference over one lap

It can often be something of a mirage, but there will be several on the grid that are hoping pre-season testing is truly indicative of something meaningful. Rodin Motorsport’s Zane Maloney will be at the top of that list having finished days two and three as the fastest driver overall.

The Boy from Barbados has prior form around the Bahrain International Circuit, putting on an overtaking clinic in 2023 in his rise from P18 on the Feature Race grid to finish on the podium in third.

Likewise, Jak Crawford made an impressive start in DAMS Lucas Oil colours, pushing Maloney close and narrowly missing out on the top spot during testing.

Crawford, who looks to be very comfortable in his new surroundings, was very pleased with the work he and the team carried out during those three days of running, but only time will tell if they were both truly on the mark.

Conspicuously absent from the top of the timing screens throughout testing, reigning Champions ART Grand Prix and familiar foes PREMA Racing held their cards close to the chest during the test days.

Victor Martins was on the front row in 2023, but the Frenchman and new teammate Zak O’Sullivan were relatively muted during the pre-season event. Likewise, PREMA didn’t trouble the top positions either, with Oliver Bearman and Andrea Kimi Antonelli closely matched on the timing pages but not outright quickest.

Is the introduction of the 2024 car a changing of the guard, or do the perennial front runners know better?