A new season and new drivers for Racing Engineering in Bahrain

13/04/17 A new season and new drivers for Racing Engineering in Bahrain.

The long wait is over, it is five months since the end of the 2016 season but this weekend the opening round of the 2017 FIA F2 Championship gets underway at the Sakhir International Circuit in Bahrain. These five months have not been idle for Racing Engineering as there have been two three-day test sessions for the team and their drivers, Louis Delétraz and Gustav Malja. These tests have been especially important as both men are new to Racing Engineering and for Louis this will be his first season in F2 so these days have given the drivers a chance to get familiar with the team and to set up their cars to their liking.

The Sakhir circuit has been a competitive venue in the past for Racing Engineering with a win, a third and two fourth place finishes between 2013 and 2015, the last time the cars raced here, and Louis and Gustav will be looking to get the 2017 season off to a positive start. The last two years have been particularly successful for the Spanish team as the have finished as runner-up in the Team Championship in both years and this year they will be looking to go one step further and win the title as well as having Louis and Gustav in the battle for the Drivers’ Championship.

Timetable:
Practice: Fri 14 Apr 2017, 11:30 (GMT+3)
Qualifying Session: Fri 14 Apr 2017, 20:00 (GMT+3)
Race 1: Sat 15 Apr 2017, 13:10 (GMT+3)
Race 2: Sun 16 Apr 2017, 14:15 (GMT+3)

©FIA F2 Championship

©FIA F2 Championship

©FIA F2 Championship

Length of lap:	5.412 km

2015 best Racing Engineering:	P6 in Qualifying – P3 in R1 – P4 in R2

Tyre Wear:	High

Brake Wear:	High

Downforce:	Medium

Throttle Average:	70%

Fastest turn:	T12

Hardest Braking Point:	T1

Gear shifts per lap:	46

Top Speed:	300 km/h

Best Racing Engineering Time Bahrain 2015:	1:44.617

Average Speed (Qualifying) 2015:	196.329 km/h

Average Speed (Race) 2015:	179.214 km/h

Pole Position Time 2015:	1:39.237

1. Bahrain has been the Championship season opener on three occasions.

2. After three days of testing at the Bahrain International Circuit in March, all drivers should be familiar with the track hosting the first race of the 2017 FIA Formula 2 Championship.

3. Qualifying takes place at night, but both races will be held during the day, which means tyre degradation will be a key factor.

4. The last time the Championship visited Bahrain was in 2015. Two race events were held in Bahrain that year.

5. Races in Bahrain are usually entertaining due to the long straights, hard braking and the variation of corners available.

6. In 2013, Racing Engineering’s Fabio Leimer won the feature race.

7. The asphalt surface, made up of some 60,000 tonnes of imported granite from England. It offers good grip when clean and is classified as medium to high in terms of abrasion.

8. The Bahrain International Circuit held its first night race in 2014, becoming only the third circuit in the world - after Singapore's Marina Bay and Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina - to host a floodlit Grand Prix.

9. Aerodynamics is an important factor in Bahrain. With four 300 km/h straights, teams use medium downforce, but this can compromise corner entry and braking stability, causing lock-ups that damage the tyres.

10. Bahrain International circuit is known for its safety record and versatility - it can be converted into a drag racing track or testing oval easily.

1. F1 engines are at full throttle for 64% of the lap in the race whereas the full throttle average of a F2 engine is 70%.

2. F1 top speed is 335 km/h and F2 is 300 km/h.

3. Race distance is different: F1 go around the circuit for 57 laps and F2 do a total of 55 laps during two days- 32 laps in the feature race and 23 in the sprint race.

4. F1 pole position was set at 1:29.493 in 2015 –F2 pole position was set at 1:39.572 in 2015.

5. F1 drivers will change gears 52 times per lap while a F2 drivers have to do so 46 times.