Formula 1 has taken steps to avoid a repeat of the problem which brought testing to a halt twice in Bahrain last week.
A drain on the drivers’ right-hand side as they approach turn 11 at the Bahrain International Circuit has been filled in and painted over after its covering came apart during the test last week.
Running stopped for over an hour on Thursday and Friday last week after the covers were damaged by passing cars and lifted onto the track. One cover punched a small hole in the floor of Charles Leclerc’s new Ferrari, leading the team to fit a replacement.
The Ferrari driver said he was “lucky” his collision was not as serious as that of team mate Carlos Sainz Jnr when he hit a broken water valve cover during practice for the penultimate round of last season in Las Vegas.
Max Verstappen suspects the performance of modern Formula 1 cars, in particularly the downforce generated by their floors, may be causing more problems with coverings in track surfaces.
“With the ground effect cars, probably it’s a little bit worse,” he said. “But also it seems like we’re driving in places that not a lot of other cars are going, in terms of opening up corners.”
The Bahrain International Circuit features several flat kerbs which drivers cross in places in order to widen the racing line on the entry to corners and carry more speed in.
Practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix will begin at the circuit at 2:30pm local time tomorrow. The race weekend has been shifted a day earlier than usual in order to ensure the first two rounds of the championship, which both take place in Middle Eastern countries, are completed before Ramadan.
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2024 Bahrain Grand Prix
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