21 April 2013, Bahrain International Circuit
High ambient temperatures and low humidity are the main challenges for engines in Bahrain. The hot conditions mean that the bodywork may have to be slightly opened to aid the cooling configuration, while the aridity increases pressure within the cylinder chamber, which can cause a corresponding loss of power. The desert location also means sand may be ingested into the inlets and cause damage to the internals of the engine so Renault Sport F1 has developed a filter based on those used in desert rallies.
Sakhir statistics
| Length (km) | 5,412 |
| Average speed (km/h) | 200 |
| Top speed (km/h) | 313 |
| % of lap at full throttle | 59 |
| Fuel consumption (kilos par lap) | 2,5 |
| Fuel consumption (litres per lap) (l/100 km) | 66 |
Sakhir : three corners in detail
Turns 1 & 2
The first corner is actually very tight as the driver brakes down from over 330kph to just over 60kph. Delivering the correct engine braking support to square up the rear of the car without creating too much ‘push’ is the aim as the driver will need a stable car under braking but must still be able to turn in. Engineers will do this by tweaking the engine maps.
Turns 11 & 12
After a slow exit from Turn 11 the track goes uphill into Turn 12 so as well rapidly switching direction, the car is also climbing. This therefore puts the oil system under pressure as the fluids in the system move from side to side very quickly but are also squashed down in the tank as the altitude increases. To avoid engine starvation, where the oil moves away from the pumps, engineers will check the minimum levels in practice.
Turns 14 & 15
The driver must get the exit of Turn 14 completely right as it falls slightly off camber as it enters Turn 15 ; running wide will compromise the acceleration down the long straight. Getting correct gear ratios helps in this respect, but finding the right balance is never easy as the circuit has a variety of corner speeds. Finding the sweet spot in the engine is therefore tricky, particularly on different fuel levels and pending DRS and KERS release patterns.
