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2006 FORMULA 1: BAHRAIN GP

RACE RESULT

RENAULT REPORT

• The World Champion Renault F1 Team and Fernando Alonso started their title defence in the best possible way this afternoon at the 2006 Bahraini Grand Prix, with the Spaniard taking victory in a hard-fought battle with Michael Schumacher. However, there were also mixed feelings in the team, as Giancarlo Fisichella was forced to retire on lap 21 following an hydraulic failure on his R26.
• Fernando Alonso's victory centred on three key moments: on lap 8, when he narrowly avoided an accident with Felipe Massa after the Brazilian spun behind him into turn 1; and then two moments around the second pit-stop, both in the laps before his stop when he was able to gain vital time on Michael Schumacher, and then exiting the pits, as he battled wheel to wheel with the German into turn 1, to secure the track position that gave him victory. After this moment, on lap 40, he controlled his performance and the gap to the Ferrari all the way to the flag.
• Giancarlo Fisichella started the race from his original P9, after the team had changed a large number of peripheral components on the engine in order to try and resolve the power loss he had suffered in qualifying. Unfortunately the problem continued, leaving the Italian around fifty horsepower short of his potential maximum throughout the opening part of the race. He made his first pit-stop on lap 16, but was forced into retirement five laps later after an hydraulic leak.
• Fernando Alonso, 1st: "This was a good, fighting win and I want to dedicate it to the mechanics and the team, for some fantastic pit-stops and the right strategy. There was a funny incident in the early stages, and I came very close to going out when Massa spun past me in turn 1. After that though, things went smoothly, and I knew that the key time would be around the second stop.I looked after the tyres at the start of the stints, so that I had something left at the crucial moment, and I was very confident that we would be able to do it. After that, I managed the performance, the car was running beautifully and I just concentrated on making no mistakes. The backmarkers were very fair today as well. I think the competition is a little bit closer than we thought overall, but this is the perfect start for the season."

McLAREN REPORT

• Today's season opening race in Bahrain saw Team McLaren Mercedes drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Juan Pablo Montoya finish in third and fifth place respectively. Kimi was on a one-stop strategy after starting from the back of the grid, coming in on lap 30 (11 seconds), whilst Juan Pablo stopped twice on laps 23 (8.8 seconds) and 44 (6.9 seconds).
• Kimi is third in the driver's standings with six points and Juan Pablo is fifth with four. Team McLaren Mercedes is joint first with Renault in the Constructors' rankings with 10 points apiece.
• Kimi Raikkonen, 3rd: "This is a great result after the disappointment of yesterday, but we have known that the car was very strong all weekend. We thought that we had a chance to score some points today, even though we were starting from the back of the grid, but to get a podium is fantastic. The first few laps were crucial to this result, and luckily I managed to overtake a lot of cars at the first corner; I was up to 13th by lap two even though the cars in front were all lighter than me. We then gained some more places later on as a result of our strategy. The outcome is even more important to the whole team, who have been working so hard throughout the winter, as we didn't know where we were after testing and everyone had been saying that we were struggling. However we really have improved over the past few weeks. It proves that we are competitive and if not for yesterday we could have been even better."

WILLIAMS REPORT

• ROSBERG'S F1 DEBUT (SET FASTEST LAP, FINISHED 7TH DESPITE LOSING 45 SEC):
• Sam Michael, Technical Director, WilliamsF1: "Our final positions today don't reflect our real pace as the car was fast and we were perhaps a bit too conservative on our pit stop strategy by running too long at the start. However, looking at the FW28 over the race, it is clear that we have a strong car aerodynamically and mechanically. With all of the new partnerships that we have, today is a credit to all involved. The tyres worked fantastically, we couldn't have asked for better, as our long runs on Friday with Alex indicated. Unfortunately on qualifying day, the track was a bit too cool for our compound compared to the other Bridgestone runners, but today the compound was perfect. Together with our other technical partner, Cosworth, it is clear we have a good combination."
• "Mark drove a solid race, start to finish. Nico made mistake at turn one, which cost him 45s on his in lap and pitstop -- without this, he would have been on the podium and he did record the fastest lap of the race. For his first race, it's a fantastic result. Our target now is to turn up in Malaysia and deliver the goods."
• Mark Webber, 6th: "Today's race was superb, a really good job by the whole team, we really could not have asked for more. Having both cars finishing was very useful, we have collected a lot of data and this will help with our understanding of the tyres. Malaysia will be a different race altogether and our performance today will really help with our preparation for next weekend."
• ROSBERG, 7th:"It's very special for me on my debut and it was fun also to drive ... The car felt great and the overtaking was a lot of fun. I always heard it was impossible to overtake in F1 but it worked out fine for me."
• JACKIE STEWART (F1 CHAMPION): "I can't remember a performance in a first Grand Prix that was so impressive ... His (Rosberg) judgement, the manner in which he went about it. It's a rare commodity today but as a racing driver he knows how to pass and carries it out."

FERRARI REPORT

• Reigning World Champion Fernando Alonso led home Ferrari's Michael Schumaacher by a tiny 1.246s at the end of the exciting 57 lap series-opening Bahrain Grand Prix at Sakhir on Sunday. The Ferrari driver had led for most of the first 36 laps, but when Alonso emerged from the pits on lap 40, he just got out in the lead, and was able to hold on to the chequered flag. The pair were 18 seconds ahead of nearest challenger Kimi Raikkonen, who had started at the back of the grid.
• At the start, it was Michael Schumacher who jumped straight into the lead from teammate Felipe Massa, but Alonso got past the second Ferrari when the Brazilian went wide at turn four. Michael led lap one from Alonso, Massa, followed by Juan Pablo Montoya, then Rubens Barrichello (Honda) ahead of delayed teammate Jenson Button, Renault's Giancarlo Fisichella and Williams's Mark Webber. His teammate, Nico Rosberg, had to make a pit stop after clashing with Nick Heidfeld.
• Michael gradually eased away during the opening stages so that he had a 3.4s lead over Alonso on lap seven, the Renault driver hounded all the way by Massa, but under braking for the first corner, Massa spun and his gyrating car only just missed the Renault. Massa came in for a pit stop, but problems with airguns cost him some 40 seconds, which relegated him to 21st place.
• Michael extended his lead to 6.2s by lap 14 from Alonso, when the Ferrari made its first pit stop. That allowed Alonso into the lead, now around eight seconds ahead of Button, who had fought back to overtake Montoya on lap 11. Teammate Barrichello, however, would drop back with gearbox trouble, eventually losing third gear, but for the moment, he was holding fourth place until he pitted on lap 16.
• That put Schumacher into fourth place, ahead of Christian Klien, Webber and Raikkonen. Fisichella retired on lap 16 after initially suffering a loss of power and then a hydraulic failure.
• Button pitted on lap 18 and Alonso on lap 19, which left Montoya in the lead, but he came in on lap 23. Michael now led again but only by 1.1s from Alonso in second place. Then came a six second gap to Raikonnen who had yet to make his single stop. Thirteen seconds further back was Montoya being pushed by Button, until the Honda driver overtook on lap 29, just after half distance. David Coulthard was next from Webber and then Klien.
• On lap 30, Raikkonen and Coulthard made their single stops, so that Michael still led but still pushed by Alonso. Button was 21s behind in third place, then Montoya another three seconds down, followed by Webber and Raikkonen.
• Michael made his second stop on lap 36, partially due to have lost a lap's fuel allowance during qualifying when one lap was under the 110 percent limit. It could have been crucial. When Alonso stopped three laps later, he just emerged from the pits in the lead, with Michael fighting to overtake him, but just failing to do so.
• For the next 18 laps, Michael harried the reigning World Champion but just couldn't find a way past. On lap 52, Michael tried down the inside into the first corner but just couldn't quite make it and had to hold station to the chequered flag.
• Button made his final stop on lap 40 and emerged just behind Raikkonen and would push him all the way to the chequered flag but would just fail to pass. The pair slipped ahead of Montoya when the Colombian made his final stop on lap 44. He finished fifth, The steady Webber finished sixth ahead of teammate Rosberg who came through magnificently not only to set fastest lap - twice - but to overtake several other cars, including both Red Bull Racing-Ferraris in the final stint. Klien salvaged eighth, just ahead of the recovered Massa.
• Jean Todt: "Today we had everything we needed to win, perhaps we needed just that extra little bit of luck ! nevertheless we saw that this weekend our car-engine-Bridgestone tyre package was competitive from the first to the last lap. This is of fundamental importance for team morale and to show that we and our technical partners have worked in the right direction over the winter. This race confirms that there are four teams capable of winning and Ferrari is one of them. Michael made it to the second step of the podium. It's a pity about that qualifying lap that wasn't acknowledged this morning because of the 110% rule, because maybe that bit of extra fuel would have been enough to stay ahead. However we say this with hindsight and it's the sort of thing that is a typical part of racing and we have to accept it. Felipe drove a great race: his spin and the subsequent problem with the tyre change stopped him from doing as well as he could have done. His performance today is still a good sign for the rest of the season. We have a lot of work to do but we'll do our utmost to fight for the championships. Today's result gives an extra boost to the team, the drivers and Bridgestone."
• Michael Schumacher, 2nd: "All in all this is an excellent result and I'm certainly not complaining about finishing second. If someone would have told us during the winter months that this is the way we would have finished the first race of the season, I wouldn't have believed them. Today we must be really pleased with the result. On the other hand, I still have some mixed feelings because it's seems that we could have been ahead and could have won the race. Considering how it ended up, it's now clear that the qualifying lap that wasn't acknowledged in as far as refuelling this morning was concerned, was the decisive factor that played against us. It's a pity, because yesterday I had to back off because of the traffic. In any case it's a great day for us because we know that we have an good car and we have an excellent potential to develop during the course of the season and this is very important. This year the fight for the championship will be very close: there are several good teams, all of which are capable of battling for the title and it's great to be one of them."

TOYOTA REPORT

• Panasonic Toyota Racing capped off a disappointing weekend at the Bahrain Grand Prix with a difficult race around the Sakhir circuit. The new package has struggled for pace all weekend and for that reason the team put the two drivers on different strategies, turning the afternoon into an effective test session. This decision was taken as part of a bid to come away from Bahrain with as much data as possible about how to get the most out of the cars at the coming races. Both Ralf Schumacher and Jarno Trulli fought hard in trying conditions but in the end they could do no better than 14th and 16th places at the first race of 2006. Toyota will now head to next weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix hoping to have learned some lessons as it tries to make a step forward.
  Tsutomu Tomita - Team Principal: "The first grand prix weekend of 2006 has been a shocking way to start the year - not only for the team but for the fans all over the world. This afternoon our reliability was good and Ralf and Jarno used all their skill and spirit. But the car was unexpectedly slower than many of the other cars and we could do nothing to step up during the race. We put the drivers on different strategies - Ralf on three tops and Jarno on two. At one point Jarno was good enough to let Ralf through because he was on a different strategy and a lighter fuel load, which meant he finished ahead. But overall we have to treat the weekend as a test session and use it to analyse why we didn't get the expected performance level. It was a disappointing race and a disappointing weekend and certainly not what we expected coming here based on our performance in testing. The basic balance of the car was okay but we have just been struggling for grip all weekend. It seems we have lost the considerable performance advantage we have built up since the middle of last year so we have a lot of work to do to understand the reasons. This is a very frustrating atmosphere but I'm sure that we will make every effort to come back at the coming races."
  

BEFORE RACE

• 2005 champion, F Alonso: "The car is ready to race. It has done a lot of laps, on all types of circuits and conditions. Now is the time to measure ourselves against the others."
• 2004 champion, M Schumacher: "I think it will be a tough season. The teams seem to be very close to each other in performance terms"
• Rookie Scott Speed: "there's a lot of nerves when you're starting your first Grand Prix but I think that having done the Friday testing in North America certainly helped me to get used to the media aspect ... I've been dreaming about it (F1) since I was 11 years old and I drove my first go-kart. So I get a sense of completion that I've kind of completed a big part of my goal in life"
• Rookie Nico Rosberg: "I just hope I do a good job and I improve all the time and that I've done a good job at the end of the year."

QUALIFYING

POLE, M SCHUMACHER, FERRARI: "It is an amazing result ... All winter we seemed to have a good package, but you wait for the final confirmation and we have the confirmation of all the hard work that has been done to put us back up here. It is a great feeling and it was too long."

• GRID, MAR 11, 2006 (**rookie)
• 1 Michael Schumacher (GER) Ferrari 1m 31.431
• 2 Felipe Massa (BRA) Ferrari +0.047
• 3 Jenson Button (UK) Honda,
• 4 Fernando Alonso (SPA) Renault
• 5 Juan Pablo Montoya (Col) McLaren Mercedes
• 6 Rubens Barrichello (BRA) Honda
• 7. Mark Webber (Aus) Williams Cosworth 1:33.006
• 8. Christian Klien (Aut) RedBull Ferrari 1:33.112
• 9. Giancarlo Fisichella (Ita) Renault 1:33.496
• 10. Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber 1:33.926
• 11. Jacques Villeneuve (Can) BMW Sauber 1:32.456
• 12. **Nico Rosberg (Ger) Williams Cosworth 1:32.690
• 13. David Coulthard (GB) RedBull Ferrari 1:32.850
• 14. Jarno Trulli (Ita) Toyota 1:33.066
• 15. Vitantonio Liuzzi (Ita) Toro Rosso Cosworth 1:33.416
• 16. **Scott Speed (US) Toro Rosso Cosworth 1:34.606
• 17. Ralf Schumacher (Ger) Toyota 1:34.702
• 18. Christijan Albers (Ned) Midland Toyota 1:35.724
• 19. Tiago Monteiro (Por) Midland Toyota 1:35.900
• 20. Takuma Sato (Jpn) Super Aguri Honda 1:37.411
• 21. **Yuji Ide (Jpn) Super Aguri Honda 1:40.270
• 22. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) McLaren Mercedes no time (spun)
• FERRARI, JEAN TODT: "Obviously this first qualifying session of the season is very positive for us. It's been since the 2004 Hungarian Grand Prix that we haven't managed to put both cars on the front row of the grid. I am particularly pleased for Michael because today he has equalled Ayrton Senna's record of pole positions, and for Felipe who qualified on the front row for the first time in his career. Over the last few months the team has worked very hard and today we have seen the results of all this effort. I would also like to thank all our partners, especially the technical ones like Bridgestone and Shell. Now we have to face the most challenging part of the weekend, the race. During the 57 laps we will have to deal with all kinds of changing circumstances. Reliability will be the crucial factor. Even if it is undoubtedly early days yet before one can come to any kind of conclusion, it is certainly a matter of fact that now we have a competitive car-engine-tyre package that can compete at the highest level."
• BUTTON, 3RD: I'm reasonably happy with third place. We had a good qualifying strategy but it was difficult to be consistent and get good clean runs because of the track conditions. The wind was an issue again today but it was gusting in a different direction to yesterday, so the track was still a bit of an unknown quantity. Looking at how the new qualifying panned out, for me it was very exciting. It was non-stop for me in the car and it must have been great for the fans watching at home. Traffic is always an issue with this format but we'll get used to it I'm sure and I think the team did a great job of handling what must have been a very pressured session. On to tomorrow now when we'll see how everyone's fuel strategies play out. It should be a great race and I'm looking forward to it."
• ALONSO, 4TH: "A pretty disappointing result for me really. The qualifying session was very busy, like we expected, and as I had said before the weekend, it didn't change too much for me because the aim was still to complete three quick laps during the hour. The car felt good, and we didn't make any changes to the front wing or anything, but I made a mistake on my first timed lap at the end of the session, and that meant I had to do another one. Obviously, the tyres weren't in such a good condition by then, which meant I ended up only P4. Still, the second row is not too bad, we know the car is quick, so let's see what happens tomorrow."

FRI, MAR 10, 2006 (*test driver; **rookie)

• 1. Anthony Davidson (UK) Honda, 28 laps, 1m 31.353s
  2. Michael Schumacher (GER) Ferrari, 15, 1m 31.751.
  3. *Alexander Wurz (AUT) Williams, 27, 1m 31.764.
  4. Felipe Massa (BRA) Ferrari, 13, 1m 32.175.
  5. Fernando Alonso (SPA) Renault, 13, 1m 32.538.
  6. VITAntonio Liuzzi (ITA) Scuderia Toro Rossa, 24, 1m 32.703.
  7. *Robert Doornbos (Mon) Red Bull-Ferrari, 24, 1m 32.926.
  8. Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA) Renault, 14, 1m 33.215.
  9. Jenson Button (UK) Honda, 12, 1m 33.226.
  10. *Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW-Sauber, 26, 1m 33.244.
  11. *Christian Klien (AUT) Red Bull-Ferrari, 8, 1m 33.557.
  12. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) McLaren-Mercedes, 11, 1m 33.577.
  13. Juan Pablo Montoya (Col) McLaren-Mercedes, 15, 1m 33.726.
  14. Nick Heidfeld (GER) BMW-Sauber, 9, 1m 33.848.
  15. *Neel Jani (Swi) Scuderia Toro Rossa, 24, 1m 33.900.
  16. **Scott Speed (US) Scuderia Toro Rossa, 22, 1m 34.284.
  17. Mark Webber (Aus) Williams, 5, 1m 34.333.
  18. Rubens Barrichello (BRA) Honda, 9, 1m 34.384.
  19. David Coulthard (UK) Red Bull-Ferrari, 7, 1m 34.432.
  20. Tiego Monteiro (Por) Midland, 14, 1m 34.459.
  21. **Nico Rosberg (GER) Williams, 5, 1m 34.953.
  22. Ralf Schumacher (GER) Toyota, 18, 1m 35.170.
  23. *Markus Winkelhock (GER) Midland, 24, 1m 35.686.
  24. Jarno Trulli (ITA) Toyota, 11, 1m 35.898.
  25. Jacques Villeneuve (Can) BMW-Sauber, 8, 1m 36.264.
  26. Christijan Albers (Ned) Midland, 16, 1m 36.314.
  27. Takuma Sato (JAP) Super Aguri, 19, 1m 37.588.
  28. **Yuji Ide (JAP) Super Aguri, 21, 1m 39.021.
• TOYOTA REPORT
  Mike Gascoyne - Technical Director Chassis: "That was a difficult first day for us. We had a very conservative programme for the two free practice sessions. Unfortunately we had an electronics problem which stopped Jarno's car before he'd done any really meaningful running. Ralf was able to complete his limited programme but I think we have to wait until tomorrow to see our true level of competitiveness. It's a new situation for us to run without the third car on Fridays, but as one of the top four teams that's how it will be so we have to learn to cope with that. Certainly today we've been struggling for grip and to get the tyre in the right operating window. But some of our fellow Bridgestone runners ran quite competitively so that's hopeful for tomorrow."

• LAST YEAR (2005) RACE RESULT:
• 1 Fernando Alonso , Renault , 57 laps
• 2 Jarno Trulli , Toyota +13.4s
• 3 Kimi Raikkonen, McLaren-Mercedes +32
• 4 R. Schumacher, Toyota +53
• 5 De La Rosa, McLaren-Mercedes +1m 4s
• 6 Webber , Williams-BMW

RACE PREVIEW

FIA F1 FRIDAY PREVIEW

• Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen and Michael Schumacher all entered into the spirit of the Bahrain Grand Prix yesterday, and each of them is feeling optimistic about their chances.
• "I don't think we are exactly where we want to be but we are in a much better position than we were a month ago," admitted Raikkonen. "I think we have been quick sometimes, but Renault and Honda might be quicker than us. It really depends if we get everything sorted out, in which case we might be able to fight for wins. But we will just do the best that we can and see
  where we end up."
• Alonso looks relaxed and ready for the fight, and is determined to be one of those rare champions who can repeat the feat the following year. "I think nothing has changed," he said of his championship success with Renault in 2005, "but obviously this weekend I will have number one on my car so it's dream come true and I will try my best again, all through this
  season and try to repeat the success we had last year.
• "I am approaching it slightly differently because I always arrived at the first race, in the past, thinking to be fighting for the races or to be on the podium, winning races or something like that. Now I have much more confidence in myself and am much more looking forward to the championship, at the end, to be World Champion again. It doesn't matter how many races you
  win, maybe. It's only a matter of being champion at the end and this is a different approach.
• "It will depend on how quick the car is. It doesn't matter how motivated you are because as soon as you start the race and the green lights go on, all the drivers do their maximum, their best and sometimes you can do it and sometimes not. I think the best thing is that we arrive ready again, the new car is competitive and strong enough to be quick on race pace. I think we are ready for the first race, we'll see what happens on Sunday."
• Schumacher said that he prefers driving the V8 cars to the V10s. "It's more in harmony and it's much sharper to drive."
• Raikkonen agrees. "I think it goes a bit slower in a straight line and the corner speed is about the same as in previous years. I haven't changed my driving at all. You just try to go as quickly as you can. Of course, the torque is not as much as in a V10 so there are more details in different areas, but it hasn't really changed much."
• Alonso, Raikkonen and Schumacher are three clear favourites for the 2005 title, but Schumacher believes there could be more. "I think there's more than three because Honda have two drivers. Also, we all have team mates so it's got to be a nice season for all of us."

SHELL PREVIEW: V8 ENGINES FINALLY PUT TO THE TEST IN BAHRAIN OPENER

• ENGINE LUBRICANT: The season starter in Bahrain sees the introduction of the new V8 engine format for Formula One, including the new Ferrari 056 engine. The focus will undoubtedly be on reliability, as Formula One rules continue to stipulate engines must last two races. Shell and Ferrari have selected products which have a well known and well proven record. The Shell engine lubricant will be Shell Helix SL-0932.
• Although the Bahrain Grand Prix will be held earlier in the season than in previous years, temperatures are expected to remain high. As ever, sand, which can block radiators and restrict the air filtration system, is also present in the air at this circuit. These two factors can cause engine temperatures to rise. Shell technical experts will be analysing oil samples extensively to monitor the condition of the engine throughout the weekend.
• GEARBOX OIL: Ferrari and Shell recognise that reliability will also be a key factor for the gearbox in Bahrain. Due to its successful record; Shell Spirax L6285 has been selected from a portfolio of lubricant products under continual development by Shell. Its role is to protect the Ferrari 248 F1’s gearbox.
• FUEL: Shell V-Power returns for another season powering Ferrari. Shell V-Power ULG 59L/9 has been formulated for Sakhir. It has a slightly higher volatility to that of its predecessor, a characteristic which is more suited to the new V8 engine.
• Critically, race fuel loads will now be decided in qualifying. An optimum blend of fuel is vital for cars competing in the new qualifying format’s Top 10 shootout. For the race, each car in the Top 10 will be topped up with the same level of fuel with which it started the final qualifying shootout.

FERRARI PREVIEW

• SCHUMACHER: "Renault appears to be in the best form, followed by the other teams: Honda, Mercedes and Ferrari. I think it will be a tough season. The teams seem to be very close to each other in performance terms and so it will be a tight battle. For the sport and the supporters this is fantastic. We are all looking forward to the season. Finally, it has come around again."

WILLIAMS PREVIEW:

• Mark Webber: "Usually the first race of the season is at home in Australia, so the start of this year's Championship has a very different feel about it for me, and it's certainly a much quieter start than I'm used to! After all the pre-season testing and guessing games, I don't think there'll be a driver on the grid who's not looking forward to getting down to what it's all about, and that's pitching yourself against everyone else."
• "Race weekends are absolutely brilliant, we have our practice sessions, qualifying and the race and there can be no excuses at the end of it. You just have to get the maximum result possible for your team and yourself. The first race always has an extra buzz because it delivers the answers to those unresolved questions from pre-season testing. I'm looking forward to seeing where we're at and to see what the first part of the season may bring for Williams. Bahrain can't come quick enough!"
• Nico Rosberg: "After so much testing, its going be good to finally race and it will be very interesting to see where we are compared with the others teams. I'm very confident, though, as the recent tests have been going well for me and I feel very much at home in the car. I am looking forward to my first Formula One race, especially because it's on a track that I really enjoy and one that I have had great success at having won the GP2 Championship there last year."
• Sam Michael, Technical Director, WilliamsF1: "The first race is one of the most exciting for everyone, mainly because we all want to know how competitive everyone is. This year, in particular, has been even harder to predict due to the change to V8 engines. From our perspective, the FW28 has been competitive in testing and is well prepared for racing."
• "The Bahrain circuit has long straights and slow speed corners and this drives the importance of a good aerodynamic efficiency (i.e., load to drag ratio) to a higher level, even more so in 2006 with the V8 engine. While Bahrain is still a high downforce circuit, minimising drag is important and we should see around 315kph on the pit straight. Both times we have raced in Bahrain there was plenty of overtaking, so it is clearly a track that presents plenty of opportunities for exciting racing."
• "Once again, we have a new practice and qualifying system that will significantly alter race strategy. There will be less practice mileage, but much more running in qualifying with a new, unlimited laps knockout system. The first two segments will be run on low fuel and everyone will be balancing how many new sets of tyres they have to use to make it through to the next round, which is bound to be exciting the first time we do it! In fact, if all the cars are on the track at the same time there will be a car about every four seconds."
• "We have been working hard over the winter on gearbox reliability and also on the new V8 engine with Cosworth. Tyre issues have undergone considerable change, with tyre changes allowed during the race again. This has reduced the importance of wear rates and changed the tyre development direction that we have followed with Bridgestone."
• "Finally, our drivers are all well prepared. Mark is as fired up as usual and putting a lot of effort in, while Nico has covered the greatest distance out of all our drivers over the winter so he couldn't be better prepared for his first season in Formula One. Alex has contributed an enormous amount to our programme over the winter and we will be relying heavily on him during race weekends to evaluate tyres and set- up change on Fridays."
• Simon Corbyn, Head of F1 Race Engineering, Cosworth: "Cosworth has made significant progress with the development of the new CA2006 V8 engine since the initial dyno tests. Ambitious performance and reliability targets have been set throughout the V8 programme and everyone at Cosworth has been working flat out to achieve these goals. We have worked closely with Williams and have established a great relationship with the team during the demanding winter test programme. Bahrain will be the first opportunity to really see how Cosworth and Williams stand relative to the competition with the new generation V8s."

RENAULT PREVIEW

• ALONSO: "We started running on the track quite late with the V8, in mid-January, but we did it with an engine that was already capable of doing race distances ... It was reliable, with good performance. There have been different philosophies about how to develop the V8 and Renault's has worked well ... We have a super tyre now, it doesn't matter whether the temperatures are high or low. I think we have a good performance and good consistency. I am confident that the Michelin will still be the best tyre in F1 this year."

HONDA PREVIEW

• The Honda Racing F1 Team makes its racing debut as a Honda works team this weekend as the Kingdom of Bahrain hosts the curtain-raiser to the 2006 FIA Formula One World Championship. The F1 fraternity is set to chart a rather different course around the globe this year as Melbourne, the traditional home of the season-opener, plays host to the Commonwealth Games.
• So the focus switches to the Middle East and the challenging Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, where the machinations of winter testing will finally play out to reveal the class of the 2006 field. The team's driver line-up of Rubens Barrichello (No. 11) and Jenson Button (No. 12) will be racing together for the first time, supported by third driver Anthony Davidson, who will be looking to emulate his star performances from the 2004 season as he returns to the Friday testing role.
• An intensive winter testing programme with the RA106 and the Concept car has seen the Honda Racing F1 Team complete 27,000 kms of testing at the Barcelona, Jerez and Valencia circuits in Spain and, in preparation for the first race, at the Bahrain International Circuit in February, where the team spent four days honing its tyres and set-up to the demands of the arid desert conditions. Since its launch on 25 January, the RA106 has covered over 14,700 kms and demonstrated encouraging performance and good reliability.
• Rubens Barrichello: "It's really exciting for me to be racing for the very first time as a Honda Racing F1 Team driver. Since I have joined the team at the start of the year, it has been a very intense period of working hard on the test track and with the engineers. We have covered an incredible amount of laps and have been able to establish good reliability as well as improve the pace of the car."
• "For me, our most important test was in Bahrain last month where we could work on the set-up of the car in the hot weather we will face this weekend and also complete a lot of laps, which really helped my physical conditioning. I feel very much at home with the team now and I can't wait for the first race of the new season, where I believe we will be very competitive."
• Jenson Button: "Our pre-season testing programme has been extremely positive. The RA106 was strong and reliable from the start which has enabled us to complete plenty of mileage and given me the confidence to push the development from an early stage. I tried to complete as much testing as possible over the winter, which is reflected by the amount of kilometres I have driven. I have also been training hard and feel mentally and physically stronger than ever before."
• "The Bahrain International Circuit is a great track and I enjoy racing here. There are several overtaking opportunities which always makes things exciting and the fast flowing sections are great. Testing in Bahrain in February was hugely beneficial for us and we are the only Michelin team to have tested the tyres and our car in the hot conditions prior to the race."
• "I think that we have a really competitive package, and although this is the first time we will really see where we are compared to the other teams, I hope to be challenging for wins. I can't wait for the racing to begin this weekend."
• Gil de Ferran, Sporting Director: "As the numbers show, we have had a very productive testing programme since the end of the 2005 season. This included a successful four day test in Bahrain itself, where we encountered conditions which we hope will be similar this weekend. We have experienced a high level of reliability with the Concept car and the new RA106, which in turn helped us develop our package further."
• "The RA106 has certainly shown a lot of promise in terms of speed in the hands of our three drivers and it is fair to say that all of us at the Honda Racing F1 Team are really excited and looking forward to the race in Bahrain, where we will find out how we truly measure up against our competition."
• Shuhei Nakamoto, Engineering Director, Honda Racing Development: "We are all very excited at the prospect of finally seeing exactly where we stand against the other Formula One teams. It's nearly forty years since we had a full Honda works team in Formula One, and we have good reason to expect a strong start to the season after a promising winter testing programme."

TOYOTA PREVIEW

• For the millions of die-hard Formula One fans around the world, the last five months have been some kind of purgatory. But the waiting and the withdrawal symptoms will soon be over. This weekend the circus is coming back to town - or rather a tarmac oasis in the middle of the desert. To the relief of everyone who revels in the scream of engines, the smell of oil and the colour of the grid, the Bahrain Grand Prix at Sakhir will open the 2006 F1 season. Panasonic Toyota Racing arrives in the Middle East buoyed up from its winter test programme and looking to start the season in style. Jarno Trulli made the podium at last year's Bahrain Grand Prix while Ralf Schumacher made the podium at the last race of 2005 so both will be hoping for a repeat as Toyota bids for a strong start to its new campaign.
• WINTER WARMER
  Ralf Schumacher is looking forward to the heat of Bahrain after a cold winter of testing.
  Ralf Schumacher (Car 7): "It's always nice to return to racing after the long winter break. Of course we will have to wait and see how the first couple of races go before we can truly compare our position to the others. But we hope to take some points in the first few races and take it from there. Our whole winter test programme has been targeting reliability and that is what we will need early in the season. We've been working with the TF106 since November so we've had plenty of time to put mileage on all the mechanical parts. The tests have gone well and both the car and the new V8 engine have run reliably so we should be confident heading to Sakhir, which is a great modern facility. Bahrain will be hot but at this time of year it should not be exceptional. Either way, all the teams have so much experience that the heat shouldn't make any difference from a technical point of view. So let's hope it's nice and warm. After a winter in Europe, that would be very welcome..."
• BACK FOR SECONDS
  Jarno Trulli hopes to continue his happy run of form in the Middle East's only grand prix venue.
  Jarno Trulli (Car 8): "I've only had good results when I've raced in Bahrain, particularly last year when I made the podium in second place. I had never been to the area before the race arrived on the calendar but Bahrain is incredible as an F1 venue. The facilities are state-of-the-art, much like Malaysia and China, and it has treated me well so far! It would be wonderful to achieve something similar again, so that is why everyone at Toyota has worked all winter to be as prepared as possible for this first grand prix of the year. The new season brings new challenges in every area. There are lots of new factors - the V8 engine, our Bridgestone tyres and of course the new qualifying system where cars will be eliminated during the session. That will be a bit more complicated than last year but it still boils down to producing a quick lap just when it matters. I'm confident that the TF106 can deliver strong results, but as ever we will only find out when we get on track with eve
  ryone this weekend."
• THE DUNES ARE ALIVE WITH THE SAND OF ENGINES
  This weekend the desert will reverberate with the sound of the new engine of Formula 1, the V8.
  Mike Gascoyne - Technical Director Chassis: "Bahrain is an exciting track with great facilities for the teams and spectators. It is a challenging place to start the year because the circuit is probably the hardest for brakes of the whole season. The circuit is surrounded by sand and it can also get very hot, which can pose problems with the cooling of a new car. So reliability will be key, especially with this year's switch to V8 engines. But the TF106 has been very reliable in testing with no major mechanical issues so we are confident. The engine and chassis departments have worked very closely to ensure our package is as integrated as possible. Luca Marmorini's team has done a great job with the new V8 and we have consistently run the engines up to the mileage necessary to last two races without sacrificing performance or driveability. We have also spent the winter adapting to our switch to Bridgestone tyres, which we are sure will reap dividends. Last year we qualified on
  the front row here and finished second. We would like to repeat that but at this stage it is really difficult to predict where we will be."

McLAREN PREVIEW

• RAIKKONEN: "It will be an interesting year for sure and with all the changes to the rules, the first few races are always more difficult than after that. But let's just wait and see."

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