WHAT TO WATCH FOR: A few storylines to look out for at Round 2 in Sakhir

9 April 2025

The return to competitive action brings the Formula 2 paddock to the Bahrain International Circuit, with Round 2 of this 2025 season just around the corner.

After three days of in-season testing at the same Sakhir track last month, the drivers will be back in their cars at a very familiar venue, looking to claim top honours before heading to Jeddah.

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So, before we get going, here are a few of the key storylines to look out for in Bahrain…

THE BATTLE FOR POLE

The battle for pole in Bahrain is an interesting one, as a P1 start does not guarantee victory, but stay out of trouble, it usually puts a driver on the path to at least a podium.

Historically, the pole-sitter has finished on the Feature Race podium in seven out of our previous nine races in Sakhir, four of those being victories.

In fact, the years in which the P1 starter did not end up on the podium – Jack Doohan in 2022 and Gabriel Bortoleto in 2024 – collision damage affected their races.

Gabriel Bortoleto achieved pole for the Feature Race last year before going on to win the title

Both of those drivers also lost the lead at the start, showing that with a good getaway in Bahrain, you might not always be guaranteed victory, but a visit to the podium is still likely.

The abrasive nature of the track, the warm temperatures and the dirty air from following others causes the tyres to degrade faster, so driving in clean air is key. Therefore, starting as high as possible is a big focus for the drivers.

On top of that, in the last two seasons, the Sakhir pole-sitters, Théo Pourchaire and Gabriel Bortoleto, and their teams, ART Grand Prix and Invicta Racing, have gone on to be crowned Formula 2 Champions.

So, pole in Bahrain could mean more than we think…

THE STRATEGY CALLS

Speaking of tyres, the strategies employed by the teams across the weekend will be one to keep an eye on, and that starts in Qualifying.

Last year, Campos Racing held Isack Hadjar and Josep María Martí back in the pit lane early on, giving them their first push laps on a clear track halfway through the session.

There were different tyre strategies employed in last year's Feature Race by the teams

Hadjar led Martí in a one-two for the team, and while the former ended up in P2 and the latter in P11, their competitive banker laps protected them in case they had traffic or were affected by a Yellow or Red Flag late on.

In the Sprint Race, while most of the front runners ran the Softs tyres, Dennis Hauger, Bortoleto, and Zak O’Sullivan ran the Hards. They did struggle to stay near the top early on, but did finish in sixth, seventh, and eighth as the other started to struggle towards the end.

We are going to Bahrain in April this year as opposed to March last season, and temperatures are expected to be much higher this weekend. So, will that change what tyres the teams use in the Sprint?

This also applies to the Feature Race. Last year, there were a mixture of strategies, with front row starters Bortoleto and Hadjar lining up on the Hards, while Maloney, in P3, was on the Softs.

The Bajan driver had an epic start and went on to win the race ahead of Martí, who also used the same strategy as Maloney.

However, seven of the drivers that finished in the top 10, including Paul Aron in third, ran the alternate strategy, starting on the Hards and ending on the Softs.

So, what will the teams do this weekend?

Bahrain is the start of the first back-to-back of the Formula 2 season

THE START OF THE BACK-TO-BACK

It is still very early in the season, and with just one race under our belts so far in Melbourne, it is hard to know who the team or driver to beat is.

Bahrain is a track that is known to all the teams and drivers, especially since the paddock just had three days of in-season testing at the same venue last month.

So, with that knowledge and familiarity, everyone should feel very well prepared for the challenge to come this weekend. A victory, or even a good performance, for any of the 22 drivers and their teams will confirm that they are indeed heading in the right direction.

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It will also give them a lot of confidence heading to the high-speed, tight, street circuit in Jeddah the week after, which will be another tough test for all involved.

Last year, Invicta Racing took pole in both Bahrain and Jeddah, while Campos performed well on both tracks. While they might not have won any of the races, they showed glimpses of what was to come later in the season.

So, while these two weekends might not decide the title, they can offer a fair insight into how the teams are performing before we head into the European leg of the calendar.