The final pieces of the 2020 Formula 1 calendar fell into place this week, with the announcement that Turkey would return to the schedule and an unusual season would conclude with a triple-header event at Bahrain and Abu Dhabi.
On Friday morning, F1 went further and confirmed that the second event at the Sakhir International Circuit would be run on the Outer track configuration, creating an “almost oval” experience and promising a sub-60 second qualifying lap.
Our writers give their verdict on whether this is the best left-field addition to an already topsy-turvy season and what they hope to see.
Scott Mitchell
A welcome positive in an unusual year
Everyone’s always searching for something positive in the face of adversity and in a Formula 1 context that is undoubtedly the leftfield additions to the 2020 calendar to save the season.
The debuts of Mugello and Algarve are great, as are the returns of Imola and Istanbul (Nurburgring not so much) but if we’re being hyper-critical these are just ‘pre-existing, serious options that are being used because they are available’.
Changing a circuit layout for the second part of the double-header is unusual enough, let alone switching to one like the Bahrain Outer circuit that is just so not F1.
It’s not an oval, even though Ross Brawn made that comparison a while back, but it’s going to be a crazy short lap. That part of the track is packed with undulation too, and is unfamiliar to teams and drivers.
I love that, it’s the barmiest part of F1’s search for creative solutions in 2020, and it is going to create a unique experience. Those who are making it a reality deserve enormous credit.
Edd Straw
Curveballs better late than never
Anything that throws a curveball into the predictable, controlled domain of F1 is a good thing. The teams do amazing things when it comes to preparation and analysis, but that imposition of control on order is the enemy of the variables that make for the greatest races.
A new track, particularly one introduced relatively late in the day, brings with it the kind of disorder that can knock drivers and teams out of balance.
Make no mistake, the Bahrain Outer circuit is hardly the perfect configuration for an F1 race. But it is different and, by F1 standards, something of a mystery.
While teams will simulate, analyse and prepare for the visit with their usual rigorous excellence, there is greater scope for the unexpected than at any other circuit on this year’s calendar.
It’s just a shame that in this disrupted year, F1 collectively hasn’t been able to lean into the chaos and throw more of these curveballs into the mix when there was so much more scope of experimentation and innovation.
Gary Anderson
Finally!
Finally, F1 is actually using the opportunity presented by this difficult year to actually do something unusual.
For all the talk of reversed-grids, new formats and experiments, so far all that has meant is a two-day Imola weekend and shifting the compounds a step softer at Silverstone. And look what happened when they did that – we got an unexpected result. What a surprise.
What makes F1 predictable is how well prepared all of the teams are. They know the circuits inside out, simulate the challenges and have worked on the set-up at base long before they ever travel to the track. That’s one of the reasons we see so little variation, because the teams have so much under control.
In reality, what fans want to see is teams and drivers challenged. A first visit to a new track – even one that is half-known like Bahrain – will always find ways to trip you up.
So I’m all for using the Outer track in Bahrain. Let’s make life difficult for the teams and drivers and they will make it more entertaining for the fans.
