Formula 1:Who will win when the sand settles in Bahrain?

China had held F1′s song and dance at the Shanghai International Circuit last weekend. It is now Bahrain’s turn to amplify the revs, as the pinnacle of motorsports, F1, invades their lavish abode.

It was just a week ago, Lewis Hamilton snatched his new team’s first pole for 2013. The performance of his machine was a surprise to most,even Lewis himself. According to reports, he stated that after speaking to Ross Brawn, before he signed, he was aware that there was some amount of work to be done to get the machine to where they wanted it to be. So he was expecting progress, yes, but not at the pace which has materialised thus far. Good news for him, bad news for the competition.

Alonso

He took pole but he could not maintain P1 for the duration of the race. The main prize was stolen by the dynamic duo of Alonso and his prancing horse. Kimi is determined to stay relevant for 2013 and that he did by slotting into P2. Hamilton had to defend stoutly to keep P3, from a rampaging Vettel, who, despite speeding to the fastest lap of the race, had to settle for P4.

But the signs are clear, for 2013, nothing is certain and everything is available to be grabbed! The ‘name-brand’ teams will all be locked in an eternal battle as they grapple with the ‘black plague’ – the unpredictable black and round – the tyres!

The fun has definitely began and with voracious beasts on the loose, in the form of several World Champions, intense competition is guaranteed. Internal squabbling in the Red Bull camp may eventually play a role in the outcome of Rounds to come and I am certain the other teams on the grid will welcome a self-inflicted wound from Red Bull. But, we also know that Ferrari, Mercedes GP, Lotus and McLaren are not waiting on Red Bull to self-destruct, they are all more than competent to enhance the process by displacing them on-track!

Practice thus far in Bahrain favors Kimi. Webber is on point also, ahead of  Vettel, with the Ferrari boys close by. Hamilton has not made his dent on the proceedings yet, but, he might be a factor in qualifying.

The speeding machines, slicing through the Bahrain air, will create bouts of instability for weightless grains of sand, but, they will settle and when they do – Who will win in Bahrain?

Cecil Munroe Gleaner On-Line Writer