Felipe Massa (Pirelli)
“Bahrain is the first night race of the season and is a spectacular place to watch a race. I always have fond memories of tracks where I have won before and I have managed to step onto the top step of the podium twice in Bahrain. I hope our car can show its true pace and utilize its straight line speed on the long straights. The track and facilities are always excellent in Bahrain, which is an added bonus when going to any race.”
Jenson Button (McLaren)
“Bahrain is always a really great event for the fans and it’s a fun track to race on – I won there in 2009 and I enjoy driving there. Although our car isn’t suited so well to this track layout, we’ll still be pushing to continue our development as we look forward to the start of the European season and hopefully more gains in performance.”
Rob Smedley, head of Williams vehicle performance
“The fans come from all over the Middle East and really enjoy their motorsport, so we are looking forward to this years’ Bahrain Grand Prix.”
Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director
“A defining characteristic of Bahrain now is that tyre performance changes over the course of the weekend as we slowly edge towards afternoon sessions. Last year’s Bahrain Grand Prix had a thrilling finish because of the safety car with 10 laps to go, leading to a great battle between the two Mercedes team mates. It’s harder to know what to expect this year – apart from the fact that it’s very unlikely to rain!”
Daniil Kvyat (Red Bull)
“The lighting is very good, there’s no real issue with driving under lights. The track itself is what I would call a kind of ‘classic’ configuration. It’s got some flowing sections, some interesting corners. I enjoy it. It’s a good racing track. The facilities are great and it’s a good paddock.
Marcus Ericsson (Sauber)
“Bahrain is a track I know very well from previous racing series, and I have been there quite often. The track has some long straights, slow-speed corners with hard braking zones, as well as high-speed corners with fast changes of direction. Overall the circuit is technical and driving-wise not an easy one. Another aspect which comes into play is the sand blowing onto the track. We need to keep an eye on that, as the circuit is usually quite dusty for the first sessions and then picks up more grip during the weekend… I am looking forward to another good race weekend.”
Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull)
“It was the location of possibly my best qualifying lap ever, so I’ve got a few nice memories of Sakhir… Last year the race was one of the best. You can pass, and moving to an evening race spices things up a little. It kept you guessing with the tyres. Yeah, it’s a good track to race on. There’s some tricky corners.”
Felipe Nasr (Sauber)
“For the Bahrain Grand Prix we expect much warmer weather conditions than in China. It is a track which I am familiar with, as I have raced there often. It can be positive for us that the circuit has a few straights due to our high top speed. In Bahrain there are three facts which are important for a good lap time: Braking stability, traction, as well as a good balance for the car in the high-speed corners in sector two.”
Valtteri Bottas (Williams)
“Last year was a good race in Bahrain. The circuit offers the opportunity to overtake but it doesn’t make it easy so the drivers fight for every position. The track surface is quite rough which has a huge effect on the tyres, so looking after them becomes a priority. This can lead to quicker cars being bunched up and we have to take every chance that is on offer to overtake. I really like the Middle East; the facilities are always fantastic so I am looking forward to heading back there.”
Nico Hulkenberg (Force India)
“Bahrain is always an enjoyable weekend: I really like the paddock and the atmosphere around the venue is great. There’s always a fairy-tale feel in the paddock and the facilities are fantastic, especially at night when all the lights turn on. It is also the place where I drove my first Formula One race, back in 2010, so I have some very good memories about this race.”
Pastor Maldonado (Lotus)
“Bahrain is a good circuit. I would say it is a ‘complete’ circuit because it has a mix of high, medium and low speed turns, plus good sequences of corners. It’s challenging over a lap and makes for an enjoyable race. The weather can get pretty hot, although this won’t be as much of a challenge as we’re racing at night now. The facilities for the teams are great and it’s one of the easiest circuits to work in as the paddock feels welcoming, there’s plenty of space for us yet it doesn’t feel like you’re at a massive venue like some tracks do.”
Yasuhisa Arai, Honda chief officer of motorsport
“The Bahrain Grand Prix is very hard on fuel and, with its many straights, it’s a very demanding circuit for the power units. Despite our short experience on track, we will combine the data gathered in the last three races to gain better positions in the race this weekend.”
Felipe Massa (Williams)
“Bahrain is the first night race of the season and is a spectacular place to watch a race. I always have fond memories of tracks where I have won before and I have managed to step onto the top step of the podium twice in Bahrain. I hope our car can show its true pace and utilise its straight line speed on the long straights. The track and facilities are always excellent in Bahrain, which is an added bonus when going to any race.”
Eric Boullier, McLaren Racing director
“Bahrain is a spectacular facility and a circuit that we love going to; it’s a special event for the team. As the race takes place under floodlights it’s fantastic for the fans and there’s always a very unique atmosphere. The circuit itself is very interesting and produces great racing on its fast corners, so we will be looking to race as hard as we can with our nearest competitors this weekend… We will give it our all in Bahrain, as always, and try to enjoy everything this impressive circuit has to offer.”
Romain Grosjean (Lotus)
“It’s a good track and I’m happy to go back there. I’m especially looking forward to being able to race in Bahrain at night with a fast and reliable car. It’s a really fun circuit and one I enjoy racing at. Two of the three times I’ve raced at the Bahrain International Circuit in Formula One I’ve been on the podium… I like the long straights followed by the hairpins and then the twisty middle section with a lot of G-force which makes it exciting. It gives the driver plenty to do behind the wheel.”
Sergio Perez (Force India)
“Returning to Bahrain brings back a lot of good memories. Last year’s race had all you can ask from it: a lot of action, a great performance and of course finishing on the podium. It’s a good track for me; I won there in GP2 and generally always had good races so I feel positive about going there. The track itself is a stop-and-go circuit with long straights, sharp braking zones followed by rapid acceleration: rear tyre degradation is quite high and I expect it to be one of the themes of this race. Grip is always a challenge with all the dust blowing on the track, and the surface evolves a lot during the weekend.”
Federico Gastaldi, Lotus Deputy Team Principal
“Bahrain is a venue we do like visiting. The circuit provides a good challenge and it’s a track where we’ve performed well in the past. The paddock has a very social atmosphere and we always receive a very warm welcome from everyone involved with the Grand Prix. The weather is always very warm and since last year we’ve had the added pleasure of an evening race. We’re certainly very happy to visit.”
Giampaolo Dall’Ara, Head of Sauber Track Engineering
“The circuit is fairly different in terms of layout and the ambient temperatures will be appreciably warmer compared to the last race in Shanghai… The more abrasive tarmac of the Bahrain circuit could open up some interesting strategy scenarios, which could add some extra excitement.”