Track Torque: Battery ‘bugs’ a blow for Leclerc

Poor Charles Leclerc … he drove a magnificent race for Ferrari in Bahrain on Sunday only to be beaten by bugs in his battery-powered electric motor.

The Ferraris really came back strong this weekend and were fastest cars throughout practice with Leclerc taking pole position ahead of his teammate Sebastian Vettel.

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When the lights went out at the start Vettel got the better traction and went off like a rocket into the lead.

It did not take his teammate long however to catch and overtake him as the race settled down to the pattern of two Ferraris ahead of two Mercedes (Lewis Hamilton followed by Valtteri Bottas) and then the ever-charging Dutchman Max Verstappen, in pursuit in his Red Bull Honda.

In the latter stages of the race Hamilton put more and more pressure on Vettel, passing him after a real battle.

For some reason, probably sudden lack of aerodynamic grip, Vettel spun off and damaged his rear tyres by standing too hard on the loud pedal to get going again.

The vibration from the rear tyres caused the front wing to break off and Sebastian had to hobble back to the pits. He did well to claw back his lost places, finishing fifth at the end of the race.

The two Works Renaults retired very close to each other in a dangerous position and this caused the safety car to come out about six laps from the end, staying out to the finish.

As a result Leclerc’s ‘slow’ Ferrari had its podium position preserved at the expense of Verstappen, who had hoped to catch Leclerc and make it onto the podium himself. Instead he finished fourth.

There was a lot of good racing down the field with another excellent drive coming from 19 year old Lando Norris in the McLaren Renault in sixth place.

Kimi Raikkonen also did well to bring his Alfa home in seventh, ahead of Pierre Gasly in the second Red Bull Honda.

Twenty three year old Alexander Albon, in the first of the Toro Rosso Hondas, was ninth, and the last points scoring position went to Sergio Perez in the Racing Point Mercedes.

Next up is the Chinese grand prix in Shanghai on April 14.

I think that the young man from Monaco might again show us his mettle and keep the Prancing Horse spirits high!

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