Having started the new season at a clear disadvantage to Red Bull, Mercedes face a difficult decision about their development programme for F1’s new rules in 2022.
2021 bahrain grand prix articles archive
Honda’s “great winter” is its most impressive effort yet, says Verstappen
2021 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted onMax Verstappen said Red Bull’s pole position for the Bahrain Grand Prix shows Honda have done a “great job” with their new power unit.
Mercedes prioritised making car “less of a handful” for race
2021 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted onMercedes say their new car is much harder to work with than its predecessor, and tried to make it more forgiving to drive for the first race of the season.
Perez’s Q2 stumble leaves Verstappen fighting Mercedes single-handed
2021 Bahrain Grand Prix pre-race analysis
Posted onMax Verstappen has looked quick enough to beat Mercedes all weekend, but with his new team mate only 11th on the grid he’ll have to do it by himself.
Bottas disagreed with qualifying strategy: “We wasted a tyre set”
RaceFans Round-up
Posted onIn the round-up: Bottas unhappy team “wasted a tyre set” during Q1 • Lundgaard gets second place back after error • Formula E adds more double-header events
Analysis: F1 field closes up as Mercedes lose two seconds in four months
Lap time watch: 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted onThe top five teams are within a second of each other in Bahrain – three more than last year – which suggests 2021 will be a much more competitive season.
Mazepin says team told him to overtake queue of rivals in Q1
2021 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted onNikita Mazepin says he was following his team’s instructions when he overtook a queue of cars before beginning his final flying lap in qualifying.
Mercedes also ‘losing a bit on the engine side’ to Honda – Wolff
2021 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted onMercedes team principal Toto Wolff has admitted their deficit to Red Bull is down to more than just aerodynamics.
Perez says unfamiliarity with car, not strategy, to blame for Q2 exit
2021 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted onSergio Perez has put his failure to make it into the final segment of qualifying for his first grand prix with Red Bull down to his inexperience with the car
2021 Bahrain Grand Prix qualifying day in pictures
F1 Pictures
Posted onPictures from qualifying and final practice for the 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix.
Norris: ‘Everyone thought we were heroes after yesterday but we never going to be’
2021 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted onLando Norris says McLaren’s performance in qualifying was as expected, despite slipping from second in practice yesterday to seventh on the grid.
Hamilton: F1’s new aero rules were intended to ‘peg us back’
2021 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted onLewis Hamilton says Formula 1’s new aerodynamic rules which have been introduced for the 2021 F1 season were intended to cut Mercedes’ advantage over their rivals.
Vettel unhappy after “mess in the last sector” leads to Q1 exit
2021 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted onSebastian Vettel said he was “upset and angry” at dropping out in Q1 after encountering yellow flags in a messy end to his first qualifying session for Aston Martin.
Verstappen knew he had more time in hand for final pole-winning lap
2021 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted onMax Verstappen was confident he could find more time on his pole-winning final run in Q3, despite picking up floor damage which cost him around a tenth of a second.
Verstappen beats Mercedes pair to claim pole for Bahrain Grand Prix
2021 Bahrain Grand Prix qualifying
Posted onMax Verstappen beat the Mercedes pair to pole position for the first race of the 2021 F1 season, despite picking up damage on his Red Bull early in the qualifying session.
2021 Bahrain Grand Prix grid
2021 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted onMax Verstappen has taken pole position for the Bahrain Grand Prix ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.
Honda now “very, very close to Mercedes” – Tost
2021 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted onAlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost lavished praise on the new power unit Honda has produced for the 2021 F1 season.
Flying Verstappen makes it three-in-a-row in Bahrain practice
2021 Bahrain Grand Prix third practice
Posted onMax Verstappen continued his perfect start to the Formula 1 season by completing a hat-trick of practice sessions at the Bahrain Grand Prix as the fastest driver.
Paddock Diary: Bahrain Grand Prix part one
2021 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted onF1 is back, and so is Fernando Alonso, who made an eyebrow-raising remark as the new season opened in Bahrain. Dieter Rencken brings more tales from the paddock.
Russell encouraged by Williams’ performance in “worst case scenario” conditions
2021 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted onGeorge Russell said Williams’ long run pace has been “better than expected” so far after the two Friday practice sessions at the Bahrain Grand Prix.