The Bahrain Grand Prix produced an interesting race but it played out before a meagre crowd and amid a massive police presence due to the ongoing conflict in the country.
Here’s how the teams and drivers saw the race weekend in Tweets.
Thursday
In the build-up to the race Caterham and Marussia revealed they would run different drivers on the first practice session: Heikki Kovalainen an Rofolfo Gonzalez respectively.
Fr?â?¡o parece que no hace…Seems not to cold…#bahrainAlo twitter.com/alo_oficial/st?óÔé¼?ª
— Fernando Alonso (@alo_oficial) April 18, 2013
Fans in China did this for me.Thank you so much twitter.com/LewisHamilton/?óÔé¼?ª
— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) April 18, 2013
The paddock here in Bahrain is getting even hotter so glad we have already done the track walk, running the track later should be cooler?
— Max Chilton (@maxchilton) April 18, 2013
#F1 #Sakhir I won’t drive in P1 tomorrow, @rspeedygonzalez will be in the car. I’ll be back in P2 (1pm CEST, 2pm local time) ! #CantWait
— Jules_Bianchi (@Jules_Bianchi) April 18, 2013
Normal thursday preps here today. trackwalk, engineering meeting and some media work. #Bahrain #F1 twitter.com/ValtteriBottas?óÔé¼?ª
— Valtteri Bottas (@ValtteriBottas) April 18, 2013
En Bahrain para el 4to evento de la temporada! | At the @bah_int_circuit for the 4th event of #F12013 #VamosXMas twitter.com/EstebanGtz/sta?óÔé¼?ª
— Esteban Gutierrez (@EstebanGtz) April 18, 2013
Oh goodie goodie. Rodolfo Gonzales to make his FP1 debut for Marussia. I’m sure his input will be pivotal for the team’s weekend outlook.
— Will Buxton (@willbuxton) April 18, 2013
Yes, it’s actually Bahraining, with thunder. This is not what’s supposed to happen….
— Caterham F1 Team (@MyCaterhamF1) April 18, 2013
Friday
Felipe Massa topped FP1 with Kimi Raikkonen fighting back for Lotus in FP2. Heikki KOvalainen returned to the cockpit for Caterham, while Rodolfo Gonzalez made his F1 debut for Marussia in place of Jules Bianchi in FP1.
Good morning from Sakhir: round four of the #F1 season. Free Practice 1 gets underway in just 45 minutes. We’ll be your eyes in the garage!
— McLaren (@TheFifthDriver) April 19, 2013
Yesterday @h_kovalainen was asked why he’s back. “Someone calls and says ‘do you fancy driving an F1 car?’ there’s a pretty obvious answer.”
— Caterham F1 Team (@MyCaterhamF1) April 19, 2013
Ready to go twitter.com/dickiestanford?óÔé¼?ª
— Dickie Stanford (@dickiestanford) April 19, 2013
Last weight checks for @pauldirestaf1 before FP report no increased weight due to excess birthday cake! #FeelTheForce twitter.com/clubforce/stat?óÔé¼?ª
— Sahara Force India (@clubforce) April 19, 2013
Here goes @rspeedygonzalez ready for his first #FP1 as our Reserve Driver twitter.com/Marussia_F1Tea?óÔé¼?ª
— Marussia F1 Team (@Marussia_F1Team) April 19, 2013
#socialfriday For all those asking about #Zain, it’s a local-market partner of Vodafone, running at this race only.
— McLaren (@TheFifthDriver) April 19, 2013
El Kimino is wheeled back into the garage. What DO they do in there? #LongerLastingRubber twitter.com/Lotus_F1Team/s?óÔé¼?ª
— Lotus F1 Team (@Lotus_F1Team) April 19, 2013
Its so hot here in Bahrain!! But @nicohulkenberg is prepared well and he is in a physically perfect shape to resist!
— Florian Eschrich (@Real_Flo) April 19, 2013
The crew is working on both cars at the moment. Set up changes on Nico’s car and a new rear wing for Esteban’s car. #FP1
— Sauber F1 Team (@OfficialSF1Team) April 19, 2013
Gutierrez reports his puncture. “Should I lock the diff?” “No, it’s the front, there’s no need.” #F1
— F1 Fanatic Live (@f1fanaticlive) April 19, 2013
I can see zero spectator at the grand stand of Bahrain circuit! What’s wrong??
— Taki Inoue (@takiinoue) April 19, 2013
Smedley to Massa: “Exit of turn six and seven you need to be gentler on the throttle. Eight minutes remaining, should be six laps.” #F1
— F1 Fanatic Live (@f1fanaticlive) April 19, 2013
After FP2, our engineers begin to crunch the data in our garage. twitter.com/TheFifthDriver?óÔé¼?ª
— McLaren (@TheFifthDriver) April 19, 2013
After problems at the first three races, F1’s new telemetry provider is on a final warning. Any issues in Bahrain, FIA reverts to old spec.
— Will Buxton (@willbuxton) April 19, 2013
Saturday
Mercedes had a varied day with a suspension failure for Hamilton in FP3 followed by a scintillating lap that put Nico Rosberg on pole – the first back-to-back Mercedes’ pole positions since 1955.
Ready for FP3? @gvandergarde is twitter.com/MyCaterhamF1/s?óÔé¼?ª
— Caterham F1 Team (@MyCaterhamF1) April 20, 2013
Sistema di “cooling” anche per Felipe…”Cooling system” for Felipe as well… twitter.com/InsideFerrari/?óÔé¼?ª
— Scuderia Ferrari (@InsideFerrari) April 20, 2013
Paul Di Resta sounds happy talking to his engineers as they prepare his car for another run on hard tyres #FeelTheForce
— Sahara Force India (@clubforce) April 20, 2013
Spin for Fernando who is testing the limit: back on track with no problems and returning to the pits for further checks.
— Scuderia Ferrari (@InsideFerrari) April 20, 2013
Unfortunately Max’s car needs a KERS water pump change, so he is forced to sit out the rest of the session
— Marussia F1 Team (@Marussia_F1Team) April 20, 2013
@rubarrichello , welcome back buddy, coffee ?
— David Coulthard (@therealdcf1) April 20, 2013
Car coolers work pretty well for feet too. #LongerLastingRubber #BahrainGP #FP3 twitter.com/Lotus_F1Team/s?óÔé¼?ª
— Lotus F1 Team (@Lotus_F1Team) April 20, 2013
My view of @lewishamilton car after the ‘failure’ #f1 twitter.com/JennieGow/stat?óÔé¼?ª
— Jennie Gow (@JennieGow) April 20, 2013
Will be better tomorrow! It was to tough today!!
— Florian Eschrich (@Real_Flo) April 20, 2013
Hulkenberg says he has “no confidence in these tyres”. His engineer says he doesn’t think the hards will be quicker. #F1
— F1 Fanatic Live (@f1fanaticlive) April 20, 2013
Wheeling back @rgrosjean – whilst he was coming back from the bridge, he got bumped to P11. #LongerLastingRubber twitter.com/Lotus_F1Team/s?óÔé¼?ª
— Lotus F1 Team (@Lotus_F1Team) April 20, 2013
Happy @nico_rosberg in the post quali press conference #Q3 #sandySakhir #F1 twitter.com/MercedesAMGF1/?óÔé¼?ª
— MERCEDES AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) April 20, 2013
Great job from @pauldirestaf1 in qualifying today. In the mix at the front where his talent belongs.
— gerry convy (@convyfitness) April 20, 2013
Well done Caterham best qualifying of the year so far for the team, now need to keep the momentum going for the race tomorrow…
— Heikki Kovalainen (@H_Kovalainen) April 20, 2013
Very good lap today in q3. Very happy. Rosberg too fast today. Now we will prepare the race. With the heat will be tough! #Forzaferrari
— Fernando Alonso (@alo_oficial) April 20, 2013
Challenging day due to limited running in FP3 but was happy with the first run in Q1 but second run was looking a lot better until a lockup!
— Max Chilton (@maxchilton) April 20, 2013
Very close qualifying, not a bad lap from my side, was enough for 15th position. We need to keep working to improve!
— Valtteri Bottas (@ValtteriBottas) April 20, 2013
5th and 6th for Force India lets hope for a clean race and a big haul of points #F1
— David coggin (@dave_coggin) April 20, 2013
Sesi?â??n de aut?â??grafos con “grandes tipos”..;)!!Autograph session with “big men”..!!#forzaferrari twitter.com/alo_oficial/st?óÔé¼?ª
— Fernando Alonso (@alo_oficial) April 20, 2013
@nico_rosberg young man, that was a serious impressive performance !
— alex wurz (@alex_wurz) April 20, 2013
Had to do a doping test after the qualy it’s hard to pee on command, so it took a while??… Anyway everything was fine!!#giedoraces21
— Giedo van der Garde (@GvanderGarde) April 20, 2013
Sunday
Despite producing the same podium trio as this race 12 months ago, the race was full of action from start to finish. Vettel wrapped up win number two from four races.
Intense focus, the smell of burning rubber and the deafening roar of an F1 car. We’re moments from the start… twitter.com/TheFifthDriver?óÔé¼?ª
— McLaren (@TheFifthDriver) April 21, 2013
Lap 2 and @gvandergarde boxes for a new nose after losing his front wing in contact on lap 1
— Caterham F1 Team (@MyCaterhamF1) April 21, 2013
Alonso’s DRS looks like it’s stuck open. #F1
— F1 Fanatic (@f1fanatic_co_uk) April 21, 2013
Here’s @jensonbutton‘s pitstop – also taking on the Prime tyre. JB currently P6. twitter.com/TheFifthDriver?óÔé¼?ª
— McLaren (@TheFifthDriver) April 21, 2013
Button unhappy with Rosberg: “Can we stop Nico moving around under braking?” #F1
— F1 Fanatic Live (@f1fanaticlive) April 21, 2013
#Kimi stays hard with a quickie. 2.3secs #LongerLastingRubber #BahrainGP twitter.com/Lotus_F1Team/s?óÔé¼?ª
— Lotus F1 Team (@Lotus_F1Team) April 21, 2013
#BOTTAS stops for a third time and moves onto the medium option tyre #BahrainGP twitter.com/WilliamsF1Team?óÔé¼?ª
— Williams F1 Team (@WilliamsF1Team) April 21, 2013
Problem with @gvandergarde‘s right front means we have to box him again. Poor lad’s not had any luck today!
— Caterham F1 Team (@MyCaterhamF1) April 21, 2013
Perez defiantly gaining confidence in the car #BahrainGP #BeleiveInMcLaren
— Giuseppe Marciante (@gsep123) April 21, 2013
“He pushed me out,” complains Alonso. “It’s very clear,” says Stella. “I think Perez will have his problem with the stewards.” #F1
— F1 Fanatic Live (@f1fanaticlive) April 21, 2013
A fantastic drive from Paul, bringing the challenge to the big teams and going ever so close. 12 points for the team. #FeelTheForce
— Sahara Force India (@clubforce) April 21, 2013
Tough #Bahrain GP for the team, with Lewis in P5 and Nico P9. Work to do before #F1 moves back to Europe but we’ll keep fighting as usual!
— MERCEDES AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) April 21, 2013
Whitmarsh: You are unhappy if beaten by your team-mate. Don’t have a problem with most things we do. You don’t hit your team-mate though. #1
— Maurice Hamilton (@MauriceHamilton) April 21, 2013
These carbon parts came back with one of the tyres deflated today. Just for fans who doubt they exist. twitter.com/PaulHembery/st?óÔé¼?ª
— Paul Hembery (@PaulHembery) April 21, 2013
Reprimand for Mark Webber after clashing with Rosberg – a present for his 200th race! #F1
— Jennie Gow (@JennieGow) April 21, 2013
Share any other great Tweets you spotted during the Australian Grand Prix in the comments.
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2013 Bahrain Grand Prix
- 2013 Bahrain Grand Prix fans’ video gallery
- Vettel wins Bahrain Driver of the Weekend poll
- Bahrain was an “aberration”, says Vergne
- Karthikeyan (no, not that one) takes Predictions win
- Top ten pictures from the 2013 Bahrain Grand Prix
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
23rd April 2013, 10:43
I see Rodolfo Gonzalez refers to himself as “SpeedyGonzalez”. Given his performances on the track, I can only assume this refers to a long-standing cocaine habit instead of any actual speed.
BasCB (@bascb)
23rd April 2013, 13:03
Its often the not all that quick that use such things to call themselves (although Scott had his parents for his Speed!) Quick Nick also felt a bit meh.
Jimmy Hearn (@alebelly74)
23rd April 2013, 12:10
Button needs to stop acting as if he’s the on-track steward
Traverse (@)
23rd April 2013, 14:39
+1
Surely by now Jenson is used to a faster, yellow helmeted teammate overtaking him :P
Tango (@tango)
23rd April 2013, 12:10
Those tweets made me think : the day Marussia replace their best driver by Gonzalez and Caterham call back Kovalainen for FP1, suddenly it seems like Caterham may be able to beat Marussia after all. Coincidence?
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
23rd April 2013, 13:40
Does anyone know why #BOTTAS is always used when talking about the guy? it’s a trend that’s been going on since early 2012… what about it?!
aka_robyn (@)
23rd April 2013, 14:59
It’s from an Autosport headline that appeared in all caps in a comically HUGE font. I think Jon Noble was the one who originally made a thing out of it on Twitter. Oh, here, I found it:
http://yfrog.com/scaled/landing/860/sg2l.jpg
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
23rd April 2013, 15:28
@aka_robyn they really wanted to waste space, didn’t they !?
wificats (@wificats)
23rd April 2013, 17:24
I think Mark Webber had the best take on the weekend with his #wavingtomarshalls hashtag.
liam (@)
23rd April 2013, 19:18
Esteban Gutiérrez looks so unnatural, with the thick broad neck and pea- shooter arms…He need to work on his arms, 2 thin for his body.
gilles (@gilles)
24th April 2013, 15:39
In what dimension Fernando’s Q3 lap classifies as “very good”?