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The Bahrain GP Qualifying is done and dusted and we have Charles Leclerc on pole with Max Verstappen right next to him on the front row. Now, since we have gone through some of the key takeaways already, this piece is going to be all about the fun part as we make our predictions for the Bahrain GP.
2022 F1 Bahrain GP race predictions
One Disappointing moment of the race
Talking about the disappointing moment of the race, it's hard to look beyond the drivers who have not qualified in the positions they were expected to. The most recognizable of them all is Daniel Ricciardo. McLaren had a shocker of a weekend with neither of the two drivers reaching Q3.
If we're talking about a disappointing moment for the race, however, then it is going to come from Ricciardo. The Australian hasn't found his mojo in the team and has struggled to an almost surprising extent. Right now at the Bahrain GP weekend, Ricciardo is looking out of sorts and he isn't someone who is oozing the confidence of a driver who is aiming to prove himself. Ricciardo's struggle to progress through the field is going to be the most disappointing moment of the race.
One Battle worth keeping an eye on
There's hardly any other battle that is worth keeping an eye on than the battle between Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc. In what was a surprising turn of events, for the first time in many years, Lewis Hamilton was not in contention for a race win.
The Mercedes car is just not good enough for now. What this has done is given the opportunity to two drivers that are supposedly going to be the future of F1. Both Leclerc and Verstappen are generational talents, and in the Bahrain GP, they are going to battle it out for the entire race from start to finish.
Podium Finishers
While predicting podium finishers, it's tempting to pick Lewis Hamilton's name as well. For the Briton to fight for or end up on the podium in a clean race without incident, however, he would have to beat at least one Ferrari and one Red Bull, which at this stage looks very tough.
Looking at the kind of pace shown by Carlos Sainz, we are tilting towards picking Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, and Carlos Sainz for the Bahrain GP.
Race Winner
This one is very tough. Throughout the weekend, it has appeared that Ferrari and Red Bull are leading the field. And throughout the weekend, Ferrari have slowly closed the gap on Red Bull and were subsequently able to take pole position.
Looking at the race simulations on Friday, however, it does appear that Max Verstappen and his Red Bull have a slight edge over Ferrari. The Dutch driver is our pick for the win this weekend.
Driver of the race
The driver of the race, in our view, is not going to be either a Ferrari or a Mercedes or a Red Bull guy. It's going to be a 40-year-old Fernando Alonso who will yet again weave his magic and bring home a solid haul of points for the team and put the car in places it does not deserve..
