Focus on... Qualifying
It's a sad sign when all the headlines after a race like the Australian Grand Prix are dominated by the politics surrounding the sport, and it's even worse when those politics have a negative effect on the sporting spectacle. Formula One's public back and forth over the qualifying format since Australia is embarrassing enough, but the fact the sport has retained a system that was universally panned by drivers, teams, media and fans two weeks ago boggles the mind. Ultimately, the FIA did not want to scrap the new system entirely, offering a sensible compromise of Q1 and Q2 under the new format and Q3 in the old format. However, such a change required unanimous agreement and two teams opted not to play ball. As a result the sporting spectacle is likely to suffer again, unless the poor weather of the last week in Bahrain extends into the weekend and makes it all significantly more interesting...
In need of a podium
This hasn't changed since Australia -- Kimi Raikkonen is in danger of watching his team-mate disappearing into a distant title fight with Mercedes if his form and luck does not change soon. A return to the Bahrain podium could not come soon enough for the Finn.
In need of points
Toro Rosso failed to turn its aerodynamic strength into a good points result in Australia. It has never scored points in Bahrain and will want to end that in style this weekend. McLaren has talked about progress but still failed to score points in Australia, with Jenson Button finishing a full lap down on Nico Rosberg.
Betting
Mercedes remain the favourites this weekend with Lewis Hamilton at 10/11 and Nico Rosberg at 15/8, but good odds can still be found on Sebastian Vettel at 5/1 and Kimi Raikkonen at 14/1. Considering Raikkonen's impressive performance in Sakhir last year, those odds are extremely tempting, even if the Finn has not won a race since 2013.
Weather
The one thing you can usually guarantee in Bahrain is a dry race, but after a week of thunderstorms, hail and heavy rain some of the locals believe we could be in for a wet weekend. However, the official weather forecasts suggest sun will return over the weekend, which will heat up the track ahead of the evening start time.
ESPN prediction
Ferrari should have won the race in Australia -- a track where the team has struggled in recent years -- so we are backing Sebastian Vettel to win in Bahrain on a track where Ferrari was competitive, if not quite capable of winning, last year.
A lap with.... Toro Rosso's Carlos Sainz
"Turn 1 is very tight at the start, meaning that a lot of cars need to fit in a small space. I remember having a tough moment through Turns 1 and 2 at the start last year, with a lot of cars bunching up. The race takes place at night, so your braking points change during the weekend and you take your references from FP2. I remember Turn 6 being difficult all weekend, suffering a lot from understeer because of the wind always changing the balance of the car.
"Turns 9 and 10 are the most difficult corners, not only of this track but also of the season, because it's a double apex and you brake through the whole area, making it easy to front-lock a lot. You will always be able to see the marks of the tyres in that braking zone. I also remember Turn 12 being a challenge because it's always on the limit -- you can go flat there one lap if the wind is okay, but then you try to do the same the following lap and it's impossible because of the wind... It's tricky, but it gives the driver a lot of pleasure when you manage to do it well!
"Finally, at the last corner you have to make sure you get a good exit. Last year we struggled a bit with top speed, so it was all about getting a lot of traction out of there - I remember this straight being a bit too long for us...Maybe no longer that much this year!"
Tyres
Tyres
Available compounds: Medium, soft (of those two, one must be used during race) and super-soft
The #PZero orders are in! See what #F1 drivers chose for the #BahrainGP! https://t.co/bnaUU4UTeS pic.twitter.com/rsGW08lH4w
— Pirelli Motorsport (@pirellisport) March 22, 2016
Key points for tyres at Sakhir, courtesy of Pirelli:
• The 18:00 start time means that track temperatures fall dramatically as the race goes on. • The granite-based asphalt is rough and abrasive, which increases tyre wear. • Sand can often blow onto the surface from the surrounding desert, affecting grip. • There are a number of slow corners where good traction is crucial, so the track is rear-limited. • At the same time, there are four fast straights, so a versatile compromise set-up is required. • Safety cars rarely affect strategy: there have only been two in the 12-year history of the race.