Formula 1 will race at the Bahrain International Circuit for the second week running this weekend, but on a shortened track.
Sunday’s race starts at 8:10pm local time, three hours later than last weekend’s race, giving the desert track more time to cool from the daytime heat.Similar weather conditions to last weekend’s outing are expected for the Sakhir Grand Prix, though the risk of rain seen one week ago is not present in the forecasts for the upcoming event.
Air temperatures should be consistent over the whole weekend. Expect highs of 26C on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. On the first two days it will remain similarly warm into the night, only dropping a few degrees to around 22C.
Sunday, however, is predicted to be less humid and temperatures will fall to around 17C once darkness falls. Overcast days on both Saturday and Sunday could cool the track temperature from what we saw at the previous event, especially on Sunday night.
With the risk of rain negligible throughout all three days, the wind conditions may give teams more cause for concern. The track is in an exposed location with little shelter from gusts.
A medium-speed steady wind, around 11kph, is expected on Friday and Saturday, with occasional gusts of up to 17kph. This will pick up on race day, with gusts potentially as strong as 32kph, and blowing in a different direction, coming from the west.
Several teams have had difficulties with their car balance in gusty conditions. This weekend’s forecast unknowns ahead of F1’s first race on the high-speed, low-downforce Outer circuit.
For more updates on the track conditions during each session keep an eye on RaceFans Live and the RaceFans Twitter account.
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Jere (@jerejj)
3rd December 2020, 8:06
The same as weekend 1, the mid-20s, dry – Last weekend, the ambient temp stayed roughly the same from afternoon past sunset to evening, so I reckon the same also this time around. As a result, FP1 and FP3 were more useful than usual for QLF and race. Of course, this weekend, all practice sessions are even more so equally useful since each one will take place entirely under artificial lighting, so no difference in this regard. Essentially the only good thing about doing this race three hours later than the first rather than at the same time (as I’d like). FP1 will be like the Abu Dhabi GP commencing before the sunset, 16 minutes, so only four minutes closer compared to the recent past, although seven compared to this year’s edition.
Jonathan Parkin
3rd December 2020, 10:15
I question the need to have the race three hours later. Given that we had an eighty minute suspension last weekend, if (God forbid) the same thing happens again the sun could be rising when the chequered flag falls – which would be different than Korea 2010 admittedly but it is supposed to be a full night race not like Abu Dhabi
Jere (@jerejj)
3rd December 2020, 15:12
The sunrise time for next Monday is 06:12, so zero chance of getting delayed until that point. Furthermore, the maximum permitted duration is 4 hours (driving+stoppage(s) combined), so 00:13 would be the absolute deadline in any scenario.
spoutnik (@spoutnik)
3rd December 2020, 14:51
If 32kph “gusts” is considered a problem, it’s really time to move forward towards ground effects. I’ve never seen the term “gust” used alongside 30-ish khp winds in weather tv channels. Those cars are way too sensitive to wind imo.