Bahrain Grand Prix: Can Raikkonen bring the fight to Hamilton & Vettel?

Formula 1 heads to the desert this weekend as the Sakhir International Circuit plays host to the Bahrain Grand Prix. Can Sebastian Vettel repeat last year's success and make it two wins out of two in 2018, or will Lewis Hamilton bounce back to reassert his position as title favourite?

FORM GUIDE

Wins: Alonso (3), Vettel (3), Hamilton (2)
Podiums: Raikkonen (8), Hamilton (6), Vettel (4), Alonso (3)
Pole positions: Hamilton (2), Vettel (2), Alonso (1), Bottas (1)
Fastest laps: Vettel (2), Alonso (1), Hamilton (1), Raikkonen (1)

CIRCUIT DEBRIEF

• FP2 crucial as the only session run in conditions representative of qualifying & race.
• Tyre degradation an issue due to rough surface.
• Combination of wind and sand makes grip variable throughout the weekend.
• Several high-traction corners prove tough on rear tyres.
• Stop-start nature of circuit make fuel consumption and brake wear high.
• Set-up can be tricky as track temperatures change as sun sets.

WHO'S IN CONTENTION?

Another Hamilton vs. Vettel fight looks to be on the cards this weekend in Bahrain, and there's every chance Ferrari could make it back-to-back wins to start their campaign.

After Vettel stole the victory in Melbourne through a well-timed pitstop under VSC conditions, Hamilton warned that his team may find it tough to bounce back this weekend. "Ferrari are going to be quick on the straights. They are going to be rapid at the next race," he said. "They are always good on hot circuits – even though it is a night race it is tough on the tyres."

A mix of long straights, high temperatures, and low grip mean Ferrari's car may be well-suited in Sakhir. In Melbourne, they recorded the highest top speed in each of the three sectors during qualifying.

With a number of low-speed corners, gaining traction will be crucial to getting a good lap time. But the key to winning the race may come through managing thermal degradation as the race progresses, especially with Pirelli's current tyres being a step softer than last year.

The long-run pace in FP2 will be a strong indicator as to who is in the best shape for the race, it is the only practice session held in the same night-time conditions as qualifying and the race. The higher temperatures of the daytime FP1 and FP3 sessions often result in little running.

Red Bull should be handy in the low-speed corners, but Bahrain's long straights may expose the weakness in their Renault power unit, so a win looks unlikely this weekend after failing to get on the podium in Australia.

HAAS KEEN TO BOUNCE BACK

It's easy to forget that F1 is as much a human sport as a technical one, but you'd have been hard pushed to find many people lacking sympathy for the Haas mechanics in Melbourne.

After two botched pitstops threw away a potential fourth and fifth-place finish, Haas are already under pressure to convert their early season promise into points before the larger teams start gaining ground in the development race.

The team will want to put the disappointment of race one behind them as quickly as possible, and having performed well in past Bahrain Grands Prix - including a fifth-place finish in 2016 - there's every chance Haas could bag the hatful of points this weekend that they should have done in Melbourne.

With questions already being raised regarding the legality of their relationship with Ferrari, Haas have moved quickly to defend themselves but a strong result this weekend may only serve to heighten tensions among the other teams on the grid.

RAIKKONEN A DARK HORSE?

Despite the fact that Kimi Raikkonen is fast approaching 100 grands prix since his last win, he can at least point to a very strong record in Bahrain, having finished on the podium in four of the past six years here. With eight podiums in total, Raikkonen holds the joint best circuit record among current drivers.

Raikkonen's performance in Melbourne - putting the car on the front row ahead of Vettel - suggests he could be a more consistent threat at the front of the grid than he has been in recent years.

Throughout his career, Raikkonen has tended to perform best in cars with good traction and a responsive front end. When he gets the car to his liking, he can be supremely fast. He appears more at ease with what is underneath him this year and, at a circuit he clearly enjoys, the enigmatic 'Iceman' could be one to watch this weekend.